Welcome to the Jungle
by 93Mika
Summary: Kara Danvers, one of CatCo's finest reporters, is assigned to interview Mike Matthews, the (hot) Dinosaur trainer at the Jurassic Park. Only things never go as planned while some have malicious thoughts on their minds, and a T-Rex called Rexy is on their tail. A Karamel Jurassic Park AU no one asked for!
1. Chapter 1: A Case of Pterodactyl

**Chapter 1: A Case of Pterodactyl**

Kara Danvers clutched to her coffee-to-go so hard, as though begging the steaming hot liquid inside the paper cup to give her courage to survive yet another Monday. Ugh, she hated Mondays. it was the worst day of the week.

The elevator doors dinged open and revealed a crazy buzzing bullpen, with people running around frantically. The constant ringing of telephones in the background could go undetected due to the loud shouting and chatter that echoed from every corner of the floor.

"Here we go again!" Kara muttered under her breath as she dodged coworkers to get to her desk which was stacked with a pile of articles she had to proofread as a part of her job between working on her own articles.

Kara dropped on her chair and took a long sip of her Latte, before reaching for the first file. This huge amount of work was ridiculous, but she knew the reason why. All the media outlets these days were hyped and extra busy because –

"DANVERS!"

Snapper's yell made the floor grow quiet for a few seconds and Kara almost spilled her drink in her hurry to respond.

"YES CHIEF?"

"MY OFFICE NOW!"

The office went back to normal and Kara rushed to get to her boss. Great! What had she done wrong this time?

The first thing Kara noticed when she stepped inside the office, was the news on the muted screens, continuously showing footage of the exotic creatures that had been dead for the past sixty-six million years. Dinosaurs back to life! And of course, people were going nuts over this. All thanks to a bunch of rich people who had decided to fund some scientists' crazy idea to clone these ancient fossils and made a zoo of them for people to come and see. Meanwhile, they made a huge profit out of it and even had the audacity to call it "Jurassic Park". What a stupid name! Who had even chosen to call it a park? This was NO park! At least not for amusement.

"What can I do for you chief?" Kara asked Snapper who hadn't even raised his head from his place behind the desk which used to belong to the famous (or infamous) Cat Grant not so long ago.

"Ponytail, I want you to run down to this madhouse and get me an article about the dragon trainer there." Snapper pointed to the screens behind him with the end of his pen.

Kara's jaw dropped. "You mean Jurassic Park? But you already assigned me to do that interview with the Baseball player-"

"No one cares about Baseball right now Danvers. That was yesterday. Today it's all about dragons."

"You mean Dinosaurs?"

For the first time since she had stepped inside the office, Snapper raised his bald head and looked at her through his thick lenses wearily.

"You go today." He completely ignored her correcting him. "His name is Matthews something. He's training these monsters there. I expect a full report on what he does over there by Wednesday."

"But the park is in Costa Rica! Just going there and back will take me 48 hours! How am I supposed to interview this guy and write an article in between?!"

"You always say you're the smart one, why don't you figure it out?"

"But –"

"No buts!" Snapper frowned at Kara in annoyance, obviously done with her rational objections. "Catco should be the first to get its hands on this story and I won't have it any other way. Now go, this says the next flight is in four hours." He handed Kara a paper with details of her flight.

Kara snatched the paper, huffing in sheer irritation. She had some snarky comment on the tip of her tongue about his lack of knowledge on this subject, but she swallowed back the words and instead ran out of that _dragon's layer_ to get back her purse to leave for her apartment. She fetched her passport and packed a small bag quickly, before heading to the airport.

Her coffee was sitting on her desk completely cold and long forgotten.

"I HATE Mondays!"

* * *

Nine hours later, Kara walked out of Costa Rica airport on the Pacific coast with just a backpack. Now she had to get to the ferry on the west coast in order to get to the Isla Nublar Island where Jurassic Park was located on. Usually, the press could be arranged to be transferred there by helicopter, but lucky her, the arrangement for the visit had been so sudden that there had been no time to book a chopper.

The ferry was overcrowded with families, almost all with children who were buzzing with excitement to see the exotic beasts. There were flyers by every seat and Kara picked one up and looked over the contents. On the front was a picture of the famous logo of a T-Rex skeleton. The inside of the leaflet gave a brief overview of the characterizations of the island and the purpose of the park, showing some of the different species in each zone as well as a map of the island.

Kara herself remembered how obsessed she used to be with dinosaurs as a little girl. She even had a shelf dedicated to their figurines. The memory brought a smile to her lips. It's been a long time, but she still remembered some of their weird names as she flipped through the flyer.

Tyrannosaurus Rex aka T-Rex, the huge scary predator that everyone was most familiar with.

Diplodocus, the giant, hill sized friendly dinosaurs with their long neck which were vegetarian.

Ceratopsia, the rhinoceros-like creature with two big horns on its snout and a crown shaped skull.

And there was Pterodactyl, the big flying monsters that could pluck your head out with their long sharp beaks.

What really piqued Kara's interest though, was a short list of important staff members and her eyes stopped when she saw the name Michael _Matthews._ He was listed as the head Dinosaur trainer and she knew this must be the man she was supposed to interview.

For the rest of the one hour trip, Kara tried to find any information she could about Michael Matthews with phone's internet connection. Unfortunately, she couldn't get a proper connection off dry land and she eventually gave up when she saw they were approaching the island.

Kara got herself to the small hotel and checked in. By the time she was settled in, it was late in the afternoon and she knew the park would be closing soon. She would have to find her interviewee tomorrow. Thankfully, the hotel had wifi and she spent the night researching to be prepared for her reporting. Despite the few miles between the hotel and the park, she could hear the eerie roars and unfamiliar voices coming through her window all night. Not creepy at all!

At exactly 9:30 am, as soon as the park gates were open Kara approached the cashier with her reporter's badge ready to get her interview over with. The guy at the counter took one look at her badge, shook his head and refused to let her in without paying the full 50 dollar ticket price. She huffed in irritation knowing Snapper would not give her the money back. 50 dollars for visiting the park for a few hours? It was daylight robbery!

Once inside Kara looked around trying to find a staff member who could point her in the direction of Michael Matthews. Eventually, she was told she would find him in the predator zone.  
Consulting the map she was given with her ticket she found the closest electric minibus stop that would take her to where her interviewee would be. For the safety of the guest and dinosaurs, each of the "zones" were a significant distance apart and could only be accessed using park transport.

Kara hopped down in the last station and walked past the tall electric fences surrounding the place that kept the most dangerous dinosaurs from roaming around and possibly eat people. Kara would be lying if she had said she wasn't a little afraid.

She followed one of the wardens to the sanctuary for Raptors and walked inside the thick doors that had been just opened for public. Barely anyone was around since it was still early, therefore Kara was the only person who stepped onto the narrow metallic bridge over the open green field. When she got to the middle of the bridge she stopped and squinted to find the trainer. She used her hand to shield her eyes from the sharp sunrays that were blinding her. She had forgotten her favorite sunglasses back in National City in her hurry to get here.

A loud shrill from behind made Kara's heart jump into her mouth. She snapped her head toward the sound and saw a huge flying creature with wings as wide as two meters, was about to impale her with its long sharp beak. It was so strange how things seemed to be playing in slow motion. Adrenaline. Kara saw the black bird-ish eyes, the greyish green color of the leather skin, and a flock of orange feathers over its knobby head that made it look so ridiculous. Yep, this was it. This was how Kara Danvers was going to die, by the hands, or rather the beak of a Pterodactyl. She instinctively leaned back so much that her balance was lost and she was about to fall off the railing. Only then Kara let herself cry out loud.

A hand suddenly latched onto hers and pulled her back to her feet, before it was too late.

"Go away, Donny! Shoo shoo!" Kara heard a man saying and finally her eyes found her savior.

The first things her crazed mind registered were his piercing stormy blue eyes and the fine jawline covered by a few days old stubble.

"Are you okay?" He asked in a husky voice and squeezed Kara's hand when she only stared at him with her mouth remained open in the shape of O.

Kara's eyes followed his arm to where his hand was holding hers and slowly pulled away. "Yeah, ehm… sorry, I was a –" Nope, still not functioning.

"I'm so sorry for that, I only found out one of the Pterodactyls was coming this way and told the warden not allow anyone in until I've taken care of it." He told her with sad eyes, showing his disappointment in failing his responsibilities.

Kara finally managed to get her breathing back to normal and turned around to see where that wicked pterodactyl had gone to. She saw it sitting grimly on one of the trees, watching them menacingly.

"Did you call it Donny?" Was the first thing Kara could think of when her brain finally caught up with the events.

The young man ducked his head, chuckling sweetly and scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, he's Donny. I've practically raised him, but he's a little slow. Never could teach him properly not to attack strangers."

Kara looked back at the fat Pterodactyl and the absurd orange feathers that covered its small brain.

"Donny!" She repeated the name and looked back at the man. "As in –" Kara was so taken aback that she couldn't say the actual name.

"Yeah!" He nodded with a bemused smile and his eyes twinkling in mischief. "Him."

Kara giggled and finally, all the tension on her was lifted. Only then did Kara notice the man was in park ranger gears and had a label on his chest reading his last name. Matthews.

"I'm Mike." He offered his hand and this time Kara was the one who grasped it.

"Oh, you must be Michael Matthews, the dinosaur trainer!" Kara shook his hand enthusiastically, glad to finally find the subject of her article.

"Please, call me Mike."

Kara nodded with a smile. "Kara Danvers. I'm with the Catco Magazine."

"You must be that reporter they told me about."

"Yes, do you have time to answer some questions for our magazine?"

"I'd love to Ms. Danvers, but right at the moment I need to attend to some Raptors." Mike motioned his hand so she would follow him off the bridge before replying.

Kara had no idea what Raptors were.

"Oh please, it's just Kara."

Mike turned to flash her a smile. "Kara, how about I show you?"

Kara raised her brows. "Really? Isn't that dangerous?"

He shook his head. "Not as long as I'm around and you do as I say." He opened another door with the key card attached to his belt and held the door open for Kara to walk in. "And it'll be much better if you see what I do here up close. I can answer your questions after that."

Kara regarded him for a few seconds, contemplating. He looked kinda hot. But that was not what she was supposed to think of.

"Okay." Kara smiled brightly at Mike and walked inside the restricted area.

 _Let's go see some dinosaurs!_

Kara thought to herself.

 _Oh God, I hope I don't die today!_


	2. Chapter 2: Close Encounter of the Raptor

**Chapter 2: Close Encounter of the Raptor Kind**

Kara followed Mike as they walked through the field where Kara had almost fallen into, to get to the other side where six cages had been installed. All except one contained five 1.5 meter dinosaurs which Kara assumed were the so-called Raptors. If Kara had to describe them, she would say they were like mini T-Rexes. Kara kept her distance and watched them staring at her and Mike with their yellow eyes, rapidly blinking. The stench of various smells burned her nose.

All five of them made a pitch sound as soon as Mike stepped closer. It didn't feel hostile. Maybe that was a greeting call.

"Good morning boys." Kara gazed at Mike who was treating these ancient predators as though they were nothing more unusual than dogs. He picked up a bucket and fed each of them with generous pieces of meat.

Kara fiddled with the notebook she had taken out of her purse and glanced at the questions she had written last night. She had no idea which one she should ask first. Mike Matthews had turned out to be nothing like what she had imagined.

When he finished feeding the animals, Mike noticed Kara taking off her blazer and fanning herself against the overly humid and hot weather.

"You haven't dressed properly." He pointed out to Kara's jeans and white button up and the dark jacket she wore on it. "Excuse me?" Kara looked at him in confusion which made Mike laugh.

"I meant, the whole park is designed for dinosaurs, so it has to be very warm and damp like how it was in their natural habitat millions of years ago. Earth back then was practically a sauna. That's part of the reason why this island was chosen for building the park."

Kara observed how Mike was wearing a light shirt with rolled up sleeves and khaki trousers, complete with black boots and a baseball cap on his head.

"I know, but I was told about the interview very last minute and I didn't have time to get park appropriate clothing." Kara nodded at his thick pants. "But how about those? Aren't they uncomfortable in this hot weather?"

"A little, but they're necessary when you're working with dinosaurs. Plus the mosquitos are savage here."

Kara hummed in acknowledgment. Mike walked to put the empty bucket away and beckoned her.

"Come closer, they're in their cages and besides, I've personally overseen their training, so they won't hurt you."

Kara took a few careful steps towards the Raptors. All of them looked alike. With their heads cocked, sniffing the air for her scent. Their amber eyes with narrow slits were studying her intently.

"How do you tell them apart? They all look the same." Kara asked in a low voice, a little intimidated by the heavy stares.

"By the patterns on their scales. And they each have different characters. That helps too."

"Huh! Who would have thought?"

Mike reached for the keypad on a panel next to the cages and entered a number. Instantly a soft beeping sound was heard and the cages farthest from them opened. Kara backed away in alarm.

"It's okay." Mike reassured by raising a hand. "I just want to show you how I've trained them."

"Ok, but I don't want to get too close." Kara felt more sweat beads rolling down her face and back. Her heart was beating faster and even though she trusted Mike, it was a daunting experience. Nothing could have prepared her for this.

The small dark green dinosaur exited his cage and jogged on large muscular legs to where Mike was standing with his hand fisted above his head.

"Rufio stay!" He called as his hand moved slowly in a special gesture which Kara assumed had been part of their training.

The Raptors called Rufio froze on spot, his thick tail swinging constantly as he stared intently at his master. Mike proceeded to twirl his hand and ordered, "Now turn around." which Rufio swiftly did exactly that.

To say Kara was astonished was an understatement. Never, not even in her wildest dreams, had she imagined someone would be able to tame dinosaurs like this.

"Wow!" She murmured, but Rufio's sharp senses picked that up and he tilted his head towards Kara, pinning her with his curious gaze. A second vertical eyelid blinked rapidly to moisture his eyes and refine his vision. Kara took one more step back and Mike moved to come in between her and Rufio slowly.

"It's fine, he's just not familiar with you yet." Mike claimed and whistled before reaching forward with his palm facing down. Rufio walked slowly towards him and made low friendly growling sounds. Kara watched with her jaw dropped as the flesh-eating creature touched its snout with Mike's hand and allowed to be patted by him. He made a vibrating sound that Kara assumed was the closest thing to purring a dinosaur could make.

"Come here!" Mike reached with his other hand to hers and encouraged her to come forward.

"Oh no!" She refused by shaking her head repeatedly.

"It's gonna be okay. I'm right here."

Kara looked back and forth between the relaxed Raptor and Mike's inviting expression and gave in. Putting her purse and jacket away, Kara took cautious steps, she approached Rufio and reached out with a trembling hand until it touched Mike's.

Mike withdrew his hand gradually, sliding it from under Kara's before she could even utter a word of protest, and now her hand was touching the clammy rough skin. Rufio's eyes dilated momentarily at the change, nearly giving Kara a heart attack. Instantly Mike put his hand on the other side of the Raptor's head, trying to keep him calm.

"Easy, Rufio. This is Kara Danvers. She's a friend."

They stayed like that for a few more seconds with Kara stroking Rufio, until the animal started squirming and becoming impatient. Mike picked up on his agitation immediately and quietly guided Kara to gently pull her hand back and step away slowly. The moment she stepped back, Mike made a special signal and whistled for the raptor and he turned back and disappeared into the trees in a blink of an eye.

Mike then took Kara back into the main building and instructed her to wait for him there while he tended to the other Raptors. Kara watched him from behind the thick glass as he let all the other Raptors outside their cages, patted and greeted them all, letting them roam around the field, ready for exhibition.

Her mind was spinning with the experience she had just had. She couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that she had touched a dinosaur. Kara was so caught up in her wonder that realized very late that Mike had stepped inside and was smiling at her softly. "You did a really good job back there! Not everyone's brave enough to do that."

Kara blushed and chuckled. "I just trusted that with you nothing would happen."

"Thank you!"

They stared at each other, beaming for a few seconds until Mike cleared his throat. "Ok then, now I have an hour before my next task. Would you like to get a cold drink? I'm sure you need it in this hot weather."

"Yes, that'd be great!"

Mike took Kara through the main building of the Predators zone where was the starting point of the visitors' journey. There were monitors and very futuristic looking holograms showing each predator species of the zone and helped to find them. From there people could get the special rides designed to travel through the park on specific paths to watch the dinosaurs from a safe distance behind their fences.

They reached a kiosk in the building and Mike bought them two big glasses of cold lemonade with fresh mint leaves. They sat at a table outside, under a white umbrella that protected them from the sun.

Kara took a long sip of her drink and watched around as people went by, some children were running around, making improvise dinosaur noises with their faces painted or wearing the hats with the trademark of the park.

"Do you like working here?" She asked Mike impromptu.

"Yes! I love my job."

Kara could see the honesty in his blue eyes. "How long have you been training these Raptors or other dinosaurs?"

"Well, I've been working for the park for almost eight years now, but I've been working with the Raptors for nearly two years. I watched them hatch and have been working with them since. I used to study paleontology in college and then the park was recruiting way before opening and I leaped at the chance. You know it's taken a huge amount of work to get this place open and even more to keep it running."

Kara took out her notebook again. The interview had officially begun.

"Can you tell me in a little more details how the park came to be and how it works?"

"Of course." Mike shifted on his seat and put his glass down before starting with his explanation. "So, almost fifteen years ago the technology needed to revive the dinosaurs was developed with the financial backing of L-Corp. They have been heavily funding genetic engineering researches for years and now that they've advanced so far, that it was decided to be shared with the public. Cause why not when you can make money out of it, right?" He smirked and Kara nodded with a knowing smile.

"Anyways, so there were a lot of technical and scientific obstacles to overcome in order to make sure the revival was safe and the embryos were growing healthily. It was decided for security purposes that only male dinosaurs are to be cloned to prevent reproduction and to control the population. Apart from one or two rare species, no dinosaur is created naturally and without our help. The park now holds has a population of almost two thousand, with over a hundred species that are being taken care of 24/7. There are five active zones open to the public, each of which is separated by large barriers and controlled by rangers and looked over systematically by a central commanding base located at Headquarters, and some smaller control rooms. Dozens of IT specialists and staff members spend their day making sure everyone is happy, healthy and safe."

Kara noted down the keywords as she nodded along.

"Interesting. So how many of these species have you been able to train?"

"Not that many. Most of them are very friendly as long as you stay out of their territory and keep them fed. We on the training team are currently testing the different breeds, but so far only four of them have proved to be trainable."

"And what is the ultimate goal with the training programs?"

"It's all part of a research to test their intelligence and brain function."

"Is it true, what they say about trained dinosaurs possibly being used for military purposes?"

Mike narrowed his eyes at her, a little surprised by her question. "No, not as far as I'm concerned with. Why would you assume that?"

Kara tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear before answering. "Well, Mike it's no secret that L-Corp, previously known as Lex-Corp, was widely involved with weapon industry and many are reading between the lines and claiming there must be a hidden application of this grand project which has such massive expenses. Don't you think?"

Mike took his time by drinking some more of his lemonade and then shook his head. "Maybe. But look, Kara, I'm just trying to do my job here and take care of these animals. I don't know anything beyond that."

"Ok, then…" Kara looked at her list of scribbled questions and was a little surprised that she hadn't even used a single one so far. It's been so easy talking to him compared with how her usual interviews went.

"Can you tell me –" Just as Kara began to ask her next question, a loud alarm went off somewhere in the distance and Mike jumped to his feet, as soon as he heard it.

"Excuse me, I have to go check on this. Please wait here."

"Ok." Kara said, but he was already gone.

She waited for almost half an hour until she saw Mike calling for her from a distance to come to him inside the building. Speakers all around turned on, a voice talking calmly. Too calmly if you asked Kara.

"Due to technical difficulty, all the exhibits are closed. Please proceed to the exit gates."

"Mike! What's going on?" Kara asked the moment she reached Mike, a little worried at how serious he was looking.

"I'm not sure, but it seems one of the gates to a sanctuary is having some problems and we are evacuating the area." He explained and Kara saw all the guards were directing people out of the zone. Everyone looked nervous.

"Which gate?" Kara raised her voice to be heard over the loud chatter of people heading towards the exit door. Mike didn't answer and instead reached for his radio to answer the person that was calling.

"Mike come in." The voice called. Mike stepped out of the crowd of people moving towards the doors and Kara went to stand by his side.

"Winn, go ahead."

"You need to come over unit 13 right now. It's Code 19. Over."

"Roger that."

Mike attached his radio back to his belt and turned to Kara.

"I'm sorry Kara, but I think we should continue this another time. I need to go."

Kara looked at him desperately. Screw the interview, what was going on?

"Is everything alright?"

Mike nodded. "I'm sure it will be. Okay, come with me. I'll accompany to the fences. I'm heading the same way."

He put his hand on small of her back and urged Kara forward. The place was almost empty now that all the families and visitors were out. They were just about to reach the gateway when it automatically shut down, a red light blinking over it."

"What the hell?!" Mike scoffed and turned to one of the wardens. "Open the doors!"

The warden punched in the controls with a deep frown but nothing changed. "It's not working! I don't know what's going on!" He shook his head.

Mike took out his radio again.

"Winn, come in."

For about two seconds, just a quiet static noise could be heard until Winn's voice came back again.

"Go ahead."

"The main gateway in zone 03 is not responding. I'm here with a civilian, we can't get out. Over" Mike glanced over to Kara who was listening to them.

"Wait out."

They waited for a few minutes until Winn called back.

"Mike, bad news. I can't open it."

"Is route 8 free?"

"Affirmative."

"On my way. Over and out."

Mike motioned for Kara and she followed him as he walked down a path he seemed to know. They stepped into the Raptors' Paddock once again, only this time on the far side and Kara saw Donny was still chilling in one of the trees. No other dinosaur was in sight.

"Mike, what's happening?" Kara asked a little breathless as she tried to keep up with Mike's fast pace.

"It's nothing to be too worried about. It must be a glitch in the system." He replied and slowed down a bit for her sake. "I just want to make sure of your safety first."

They didn't speak any more until they reached a door with the number 13 on it. Mike used his key card again on opening it. Inside was a big room full of different equipment she didn't recognize. All cutting edge and looking brand new. Strangely no one was there. Mike took her across the room where they walked into another door behind which was what Kara guessed was one of the small control rooms, with a large main screen and many computers around. Kara count about ten people in the room, all on edge. Some typing furiously while others were running around or talking angrily. Radio transmissions never ended. It was a rather familiar scene to Kara. It looked like a busy day at CatCo, only far more stressful.

"Mike!" Someone shouted with the same voice from the radio calls.

"Winn!" He waved and they walked over to where Kara saw a young man with dark hair was sitting behind three monitors, wearing a headset. So this was Winn. Kara saw his Dinosaur figurines lined up over the monitors, decorating his workspace.

"Talk to me, what's going on?" Mike asked Winn, placing both his hands on the desk.

Winn who was too busy changing the screens and typing didn't even notice Kara there. Kara didn't mind though. It sounded like something bad was happening.

"All the zones are shutting down! I've lost visual of the northern and eastern zones!" He gasped. "Here goes the southern!"

"What!? Why is this happening?" Mike asked in disbelief.

"I don't know…" Winn said hopelessly, shaking his head.

"What happened to Paddock 9?"

"I can't say anymore." He finally took his eyes off the screens and gestured as they stopped streaming and showing a blank page with the words _"No Signal Found"._

"God help us all!" Someone shouted.

Kara felt her heart sink as low as her shoes when she saw what everyone was staring at with terror on the big screen.

"M- Mike?" Kara squealed and tugged at the back of his t-shirt in panic. What she had wanted to ask and failed, was whether he had been able to train the dinosaur which was on display on the screen.

A gigantic T-Rex had broken free from its area by smashing through the malfunctioning gate. It roared so loudly that they could hear it from their place in the control room. No one even breathed, all fear stricken and speechless.

That was all they saw before the screen turned black, leaving them in total darkness.


	3. Chapter 3: The Spinosaurids' Attack

**Chapter Warning:** Graphic Description of Dinosaur Violence

* * *

 **Chapter 3: The Spinosaurids' Attack and Valiant Acts**

It took Kara a while to register her surroundings again as her brain came slightly out of shock and she noticed that the backup generators had kicked in and the lights had turned back on. The screens were still black and out of signal, however.

"Kara?" Mike called and patted her shoulder and only then Kara realized how tightly she was clutching to Mike's bicep, which was impressively thick and buffed.

"Wh-"She couldn't even form the words. So still not completely with it yet.

"I need to go out there for damage control. You stay here with Winn. It's the safest place."

"No, Mike! What if –" Kara clutched to his arm tighter. She couldn't say the words out loud. What if that T-Rex ate him?!

"It's gonna be ok. I'll be careful." Mike gave her a hesitant smile and squeezed her hand over his arm with the other hand. He was gone before she could say anything else. Five wardens with rifles followed him out. They bolted the door behind them safely before leaving.

Kara looked over to Winn who was watching her.

"He's the best trainer around here, I'm sure he can take care of this." Winn pointed out when he saw how distraught Kara was.

"With what? His cloth magic?!" Kara dropped herself in the nearest empty chair and rubbed her forehead stressfully.

Winn chuckled nervously. "I'm Winn Schott by the way." He extended his hand which Kara shook.

"Kara Danvers."

Winn tipped his head. "Are you Mike's girlfriend?" He asked as if the world wasn't ending out there.

"What?!" Kara blushed deep red and completely flustered.

Winn realizing his mistake held his hands up apologetically. "I'm sorry! I just thought since you two were touching – ehm were together… that – ehm…" He stammered terribly and turned crimson with embarrassment.

Kara, on the other hand, hadn't exactly been offended. She was actually internally a little bemused by the image of herself with a great guy like Mike.

Winn continued justifying his assumption. "…I mean Mike hadn't been with anyone for such a long time. I've known him since college, we were roommates. He hasn't dated anyone since Imra left him. I keep telling him, he needs to move on, but he keeps saying no one would want to be with a dinosaur trainer. I just thought maybe he's finally found someone."

Kara shook her head and tried to assure Winn that she hadn't taken it the wrong way.

"It's ok. I'm actually a reporter from CatCo. I came here to interview Mike and then this happened." She vaguely gestured towards the black screen and the anxiety settled back in. Kara bit her lower lip.

"How much longer should we wait?"

Winn pushed some keys on the keyboard in front of him, but nothing worked. He then shrugged, not knowing what to say. "We wait until someone contacts us."

The time seemed to drag on as they waited for any updates or news of what was happening outside. Looking for a distraction, Winn fumbled with his phone and put on some music. The opening beats to "...Welcome to the Jungle..." began to play and Winn started murmuring along.

 _How very appropriate_ , Kara thought. She tried to distract herself and it proved effective for a while until the power went out abruptly, forcing Winn to stop the music.

Again everyone became spooked and flashlights shone from different corners.

"Winn!?" Kara called, reaching for him, feeling the back of his chair in the darkness. She couldn't see a thing.

"I'm right here!" He answered back and patted over her hand in reassurance. "Don't worry, they're just trying to reboot the system."

Kara nodded, but remembered Winn couldn't see her. "Ok."

Winn turned on the flashlight on his desk and looked at Kara's freaked out face. He was about to say something when a loud boom shook the place.

"What was that?" Kara squealed.

"I don't know!" Winn squealed back.

Another bang echoed in the room, much closer this time. Something was trying to take down the thick door that was keeping them safe from all the flesh-eating dinosaurs. Kara and Winn jumped from their seats and stumbled through the dark to join the whimpering group of people and took refuge on the farthest side of the room.

Every loud bang and screech of metal made by powerful claws, sent shivers down the spines of the small group. No one knew what they were supposed to do other than waiting there to be eaten.

With one last bang, the door fell off its hinges and to the floor with a loud thud. Kara couldn't see anything in the dark, but she made out the silhouette of a dinosaur entering the control room in the beam of a few abandoned flashlights on the ground. Its solid shadow indicated that it had twice the size of the Raptors and walked on two legs.

No one dared to breathe as the creature started bobbing its head, searching for food, searching for them. It made low clicking sounds that had their hearts fluttering with terror. After what felt like an hour, it turned steadily, failing to locate them and started making its way back to the broken door.

The power chose that moment to come back on, piercing their eyes with the lights and giving the dinosaur a perfect view of the whereabouts of its next meal. The hideous dinosaur with a dorsal sail along its spine and dirty red crown over its head, charged at them. Its eyes twinkled hungrily.

Everyone screamed and scattered in fright.

Kara dove under a desk, taking Winn with her. She tried to block out all the shrieks and horrible sounds as she desperately searched to find a way across the room while that glutton monster was busy.

Kara saw a clear path and indicated to Winn to follow her as she crawled forward. They hadn't gotten very far on shaking hands and legs, when a ridiculous sound – which Kara could only describe as a Native American war cry – put a stop to everything. Kara peeked from behind a printer towards the sound and saw Mike standing in the doorway with one hand cupping his mouth and another pointing a large unfamiliar gun to the dinosaur which had frozen on the spot and was studying the intruder.

His shirt was ripped and red claw marks and blood stains on them could not go unnoticed. His face was no better. A gash on his cheek was bleeding slightly and he no longer had his cap. His hair was a mess, yet his eyes were the sharpest and most serious than Kara had seen.

Kara's breath hitched in her throat at the scene of carnage. Two of the people had been turned into a pile of flesh and blood. She whipped her head away and tried to suppress her erratic heartbeats and violent shivers along her arms.

"I want everybody to stay calm, and walk to the door behind me as slowly as you can." Mike told them in the calmest voice Kara had heard all day. "No one runs. Just walk."

One by one, the remaining eight people walked on wobbly legs towards the door as Mike walked forward and to the dinosaur. He had captured the creature's attention completely by his hand movements.

"Kara! Come on!" Winn whispered and nudged when she didn't move. Kara could only hear her own heart pounding so frantically that it could jump out of her chest any moment.

Winn scrambled to his feet and grabbed her forearm. "Come on! It's now or never."

Kara finally relented and moved weakly. They walked timidly and only when they stepped outside, did Kara dare to look back. When she did, she saw Mike striking that dinosaur with a large tranquilizer dart, causing it to drop unconscious.

Kara's eyes fixated on the detached arm dangling from the monster's snout, blood dripping from the big teeth and suddenly her legs could no longer carry her weight and everything turned black.

"Kara!" She couldn't tell who's voice that belonged to.

* * *

The soothing brush of something cool over her face and neck, nudged Kara back into consciousness. She opened her eyes reluctantly and met Mike's worried stormy eyes.

"Kara! Are you okay?" He asked and pressed the damp washcloth to the side of her face.

She didn't answer right away, blinking a few times trying to remember how she had come to be in Mike's strong arms. The moment she recalled what had happened, she gasped.

"Mike! That –" Kara tried to sit up, but Mike held her down.

"No, don't move too fast. Your blood pressure was too low."

Kara did as he said and tried to control her breathing. With Mike's help, she sat upright slowly and leaned to the wall. Mike handed her glasses and only then she realized she hadn't been wearing them as her sight beyond Mike's face was blurry. She put them back on her face and noticed Winn's absence.

"Wait, where's Winn? Is he –"

At the mention of his name, Winn appeared with a sheepish smile and knelt down beside them. "Hey, I'm right here. In the flesh." He immediately regretted his poor choice of words by seeing the flash of horror on Kara's face, and continued. "We thought we lost you there for a minute."

Kara shook her head and avoided their stares. To say she was in shock, was an understatement. Who would have thought a simple interview would lead to the scariest incident one could ever experience. "Are the others okay?"

Kara wiped at the stray tear she had shed and looked over to take in her surrounding for the first time since she had come around. They were in a different room. She saw the others were in no better shape than she was. All shocked and traumatized.

"Yeah. They're doing fine more or less." Mike answered, keeping his hand over her thigh. Kara found its weight and warmth unexpectedly calming. Had he carried her all the way here? How embarrassing.

When Winn left them to help a man find some water, Kara turned to look at Mike. "Is it over?" She asked Mike in a weak voice.

Mike dropped his eyes from hers and shook his head in denial. "No." He answered in a hushed voice. The wound on his face and torso weren't bleeding anymore, however, they hadn't been tended to either.

"That needs stitches!" Kara pointed at the long cut on his chest and mindlessly reached and push away the torn fabric of his shirt to see how bad it really was.

Mike pulled back, his hand leaving its place on Kara's leg to her disappointment. "It's fine. I'll get to them later when this is over."

Kara sighed sadly. "What happened?"

"We were trying to contain the escaped dinosaurs." Mike shook his head, refusing to tell her any further about what had happened to him.

"Do you know why the system is down?"

He sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, I don't know why this happened."

Not knowing what to ask or say next, she kept her eyes on her fidgeting hands on her lap.

"I'm not gonna let anything happen to you."

Kara looked at him with wide eyes, stunned by the sincerity of his vow. The frown between his brow and his intense stare, showed how serious he was about it. She truly believed him. He didn't need to even say it. So far, all he had been doing was protecting her and other people, as much as he possibly could.

Winn came back to them, offering Kara a Sneakers bar and a water bottle. "Here, I found a vending machine down there. " He pointed at the hallway to his back. "You need some sugar in your bl- I mean your system."

Kara accepted the offerings gratefully and appreciated how this time he avoided using the words that would remind her of a scene she never wanted to remember again. "Thanks Winn."

She unwrapped the candy and stared at it with a churning stomach. She had no appetite.

"I know you probably don't feel like eating Kara, but it's good for you." Mike encouraged Kara to take the first bite.

He was right. The sugar instantly made her limbs warm and not so shaky anymore. When he made sure she was doing okay, Mike went to check on everyone else and Kara watched. The way he cared for each person amazed her. She knew he blamed himself for the death of those two people, and most likely the five wardens who had left with him and never returned.

They needed to move from there. The passed out dinosaur in the control room wouldn't stay out forever. Mike told them they were still in danger and needed to get out of the Predators zone before sunset. Most species were nocturnal and the more they waited, the harder it would be to pass through the Predators Zone.

With the Park's systems shut down and exit gates being on lockdown, the only chance of escape was choppers that could pick them up in an open area a few miles away. Mike had told them that Head Quarters had been informed of the situation and were sending rescues teams as they spoke.

They were 12 altogether. Mike handed three people each one rifle with special neurotoxin darts similar to the one he had used earlier, and they started their journey to a point almost three miles north, where they could be finally saved from this damned place.

They moved slowly and cautiously. Mike checked their surroundings each step of the way to make sure of their safety. They had to change their path many times to avoid encounters and soon they were out of those sedative darts. Fortunately, they had no casualties apart from some bruised limps here and some scratches there. Every movement in their peripheral vision or any trembles in the bushes scared them. To make the trip a little shorter, they took the small boats – used by the visitors and now abandoned – and padded along until they reached a point where Mike informed that they had to continue on foot. Kara was mesmerized by the many different dinosaurs she saw. Sometimes her curiosity surpassed the fear inside her momentarily. She asked about them from Mike and he would tell her briefly about each species.

"How much time do we have until darkness?" Kara asked breathlessly, pushing through a bush as high as her knees. They were going along the edge of one of the sanctuaries. It had made their path longer and a little more difficult since they had to find their way through a tropical forest, but at least they didn't need to worry too much about the T-Rex since the river had put some good distance between them.

"Three hours." Mike replied as he checked the map on the tablet Winn was holding and made sure they were on the right track. Fortunately the GPS was still working.

"Are we gonna make it by then?"

"Yes, we've come most of the way. Should be there in about half an hour."

His radio then buzzed with an incoming call.

"Matthews here, go ahead."

"We are four-point fifty-five miles northeast. Report your 20." A male voice spoke.

"One point zero two miles south the location. Over"

The rescue team had been checking in with them every few minutes which was very reassuring and kept their spirits up.

They made it to their destination in thirty minutes just as Mike had predicted and saw the two choppers descending. Everyone yelled and waved happily. The chopper blades sent powerful waves over the tall grass, reminiscing violent tides of a stormy sea. Kara ducked her head and covered her ears against the deafening sound.

The moment both aircrafts landed, two agents in black tactical suits and helmets jumped out and shouted at them to run towards the helicopters to which they all were more than happy to comply. Mike helped Kara onto a chopper and waited back to help everyone else get in and buckle up securely. Kara watched him nervously. She had a bad feeling and she didn't know why.

Only half of them had boarded when a loud terrifying roar made their blood run cold and stopped their actions.

The T-Rex was here.

Kara's jaw dropped to the floor at seeing the size of that thing compared to the trees nearby. She prayed she wouldn't faint again.

The few remaining people threw themselves on the helicopter and the pilot started shouting, announcing they were getting ready for ascending. Kara's heart raced so fast, her ears began to buzz, diminishing all the noises surrounding her. Her eyes darted between the T-Rex running towards them, each of its heavy steps audible and Mike who was trying to help the last person onto the departing helicopter.

Mike bravely nodded at the agent in the charge of their chopper, then turned his back to them and faced to the T-Rex. Kara had no idea how, but he had managed to get his hands on a red blanket and was moving it over his head like a flag. He was going to play bait and give them a chance to escape by distracting the gigantic beast. He wasn't going to make it and those soldiers wouldn't jeopardize the safety of that many people just save one life.

Without thinking twice, Kara unfastened her seatbelt and went to grip the cold frame. The strong blows of the helicopter made her long blond locks move wildly around and into her face. "MIKE!" She shouted as loud as she could. He heard her. Turning around, Mike gave Kara one last glance before running towards the T-Rex valiantly.

* * *

 **End Note:**

Thank you for reading. Fair Warning, almost all chapter have cliffhanger. Sorry not sorry XD


	4. Chapter 4: Enter the T-Rex

**Chapter WARNING:** Graphic description of Violence!

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Enter the T-Rex**

Kara kept her eyes on Mike getting smaller and smaller as the choppers were gaining altitude.

That stupid stupid man!

Kara squirmed against the agent who grabbed her hand, yelling at her to get back to her seat and freed herself from his hold. Taking a deep breath, as though about to dive into the water, Kara jumped onto the soft grass about 6 feet below.

Kara rolled onto her hands and knees, her whole body running only on adrenaline. She was out of the territory of logic and survival instincts and all she thought about was that Mike couldn't be the one to go. Not like this.

Kara saw the T-Rex looming over Mike who was moving around, waving that red fabric. She gasped when Mike closely missed the jaws which snapped shut right next to his head. He tripped and fell onto his back. An easy prey. Kara rushed to her feet and raised both hands over her head and jumped up and down like a maniac.

"HEY ASSHOLE! I'M RIGHT HERE!"

The T-Rex stopped its procession to eating Mike and tilted its head towards Kara to look at her instead of Mon-El. Finding her more interesting, the dinosaur started running towards Kara before noticing the flying vehicles overhead and they attracted the giant dinosaur's attention more than two humans ever could. Dinosaurs were so similar to a cat. Moving things drove them crazy.

It was only then when it dawned on Kara what she really had done and how big that creature really was. As tall as a ten-floor building and coming at her terrifyingly fast. Kara screamed in fright and fled the scene as fast as she could before getting crushed under the enormous deathly feet. The helicopters, fortunately, were at a safe height and away from the colossal jaws that tried to trap them between the T-Rex's teeth. The huge monster snapped its jaws at the helicopter and growled in irritation when they closed shut at got nothing but empty air.

Kara, not knowing where else to go, ran to where Mike had been standing dumbfounded.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" He scolded her as they ran shoulder to shoulder to the more covered area and sought the protection of trees.

Kara frowned at him. How ungrateful! "What, you expected me to just let you die!?"

"You deliberately ruined all my efforts to get you to safety!" He yelled angrily and kicked at a thick vine and broke it from blocking their way.

"I am not a damsel in distress!" Kara stated as she angrily pushed some branches out of her face.

"This is NOT _Disneyland!_ This is _Jurassic Park!_ "

"Don't I know that!" Kara cried.

They didn't have more time for their banter when they heard the heavy footsteps that made mini-earthquakes.

The T-Rex appeared among the trees and grunted when it spotted the tiny humans. Kara and Mike sprinted into a run, trying to outrun the T-Rex that jogged to catch them. Their speed was hopelessly low. Kara yelped sensing the T-Rex's muzzle almost touching her back as its revolting warm and wet exhales engulfing her.

"There!" Mike shouldered Kara to the left where a steep hill suddenly took away their balance and he held onto her as they rolled over the soft plants and came to a halt harshly with Mike taking the impact as Kara landed on his chest with a thud and a whiplash.

The T-Rex didn't miss them from where it was over the hill and was looking for a way to come after them. Mike helped Kara to her feet while searching distraughtly among the tangled webs of branches to find a way to escape. He didn't hesitate to move when he found an opening, prompting Kara to follow him. They hadn't gone far until Mike stopped short.

"In here!" Mike said, pointing at a big gap under a huge old tree roots. He slipped in before Kara could express her disgust and refusal to get anywhere near the stinky mud, and dragged her in there with himself, holding her locked in place with his arms. Kara was practically sitting on his lap and his arms which were pressing over her midsection didn't let her move in the small space. She felt his every rapid pant with her body. His chest touching her back constricting and expanding. His mouth next to her ear, blowing out his tired exhales. Under any different circumstances, Kara would have died in embarrassment, but this wasn't a normal situation. It's not like you're being chased down by a T-Rex every day, right?

When the footsteps grew too close, Mike tightened his hold on her and Kara screwed her eyes shut, holding her breath. The footsteps stopped abruptly, dangerously near them. Kara prayed to any god above who was listening, to let them live one more day.

"AAAAAAA!" Someone yelled and Kara's eyes flew open involuntarily to find the source.

She saw one of the unfortunate rangers, who hadn't been in their already rescued group, yelling and making angry faces at something above him, the trees didn't allow her to see. The T-Rex no doubt. He had his rifle pointed at the beast and shot a few times carelessly as a set of huge jaws closed around his upper body, devouring him and turning his yells into shrieks of pain, before abruptly falling silent.

Mike's palm clasped over Kara's mouth as he predicted the incoming scream she was going to emit. She twisted around and hid her face in Mike's chest, shivering and whimpering against the horrible sounds of chewing and breaking bones. He only held her tighter, one hand pressing over the back of her head.

Satisfied with its hunt, the T-Rex walked away, leaving them in that filthy hole where they were latching onto each other in shock. Kara took too many deep breaths, unable to calm down. They waited way longer after their breathing had turned back to normal and were sure the T-Rex wasn't around, to crawl out of their hiding place. Mike movements were slow and he hissed in pain when he tried to stand up. Kara looked at him in concern. The wound on his chest from earlier was bleeding again.

"Mike, are you ok?" Kara asked and kicked herself internally for the stupid question. Of course, he wasn't ok.

"Yeah, just give me a minute." He took some deep breaths with his hands on his knees. Kara could see the furrow in his brow and the little shakes along his arms. He was in so much pain.

Kara remembered she had some painkillers in her handbag for when she got killer migraines at work. She reached for her bag and didn't feel it. Shoot! She had long forgotten about it in the control room when all this started.

"Let me take a look." Kara approached Mike, desperate to offer him some help, but he recoiled and stood upright despite his injury.

"No, we need to radio the base!" Mike turned her down and reached for his radio, but his hand gripped on emptiness. "Shit! I must have dropped it!"

He looked around for it in distress and walked back the path they had run as his eyes scanned the ground. They climbed back the hill with difficulty and continued the search. It was like finding a nail in a haystack.

Kara copied Mike and scanned the flattened bushes, crushed under the 's feet. She heard Mike grunt in frustration and found him crouching down, holding a smashed black object with wires pouring out of it. The radio had been trampled.

Mike threw away the useless device and rose back to his feet, wiping his hands on his pants. "Let's move. We can't stay here. There should a storage facility nearby. We need to get there before the sun is down."

Kara didn't argue and trusted Mike's perfect sense of direction in this place where everywhere looked the same to her. They walked in silence. Progress was slow with all the blocking vegetation and the detours they had to take to avoid confronting random stray dinosaurs. And then there were the pauses they had to make to regain their strength – mostly because Mike needed them – and they were getting too frequent and close in between.

When Mike waved his hand for yet another stop, Kara decided to speak her mind. "Mike! You're clearly not doing well! Let me help you."

She thought he was going to reject her like before, but one look at his pale face told her he was going to give in and just as she had predicted, he nodded and slipped down by a tree. Kara knelt down in front of him and carefully touched the swollen red skin around the largest wound on his chest. It looked terrible. Kara didn't know much about first aids. She regretted skipping that specific voluntary course back in high school now. If only she didn't dislike the sight of blood, she might have been able to help Mike now. Although she had surprised herself by how she had been handling the sight of the injury thus far.

"I think it's infected." Mike said hoarsely with a wince, proving to be the more knowledgeable one between the two of them.

"What can I do?" Kara asked desperately.

Mike pulled his shirt off over his head with difficulty. Kara blushed a little, unable to turn her eyes away from his toned abs. He then reached for the water canteen he had been carrying on his belt and handed it to Kara. "We should clean it."

Kara took the unwearable shirt from him, but it was so filthy. It wasn't smart to use it on an already infected injury. She looked around for a better option and her eyes fell on her own cobalt shirt that didn't seem too worse for wear. Without hesitation, Kara unbuttoned it, taking it off and was left in the blue camisole she had been wearing underneath. She ripped a piece of the material in the shape of a stripe and used the canteen to pour some water both on the cloth and on the wound. Then as gently as she could, Kara wiped the blood and plasma while trying to ignore Mike's hisses and flinches. He grew calm after a few strokes. When Kara lifted her head to tell Mike she was done, she caught him gazing at her so deeply as if seeing right through her soul. His were eyes rather feverish, his pupils dilated and filled with an unexplainable emotion. They were luring her in and consuming her with their profoundness. Her eyes diverted briefly to his ajar inviting lips.

Their trance came to an end when a sound from behind Kara broke their concentration. They both looked at the direction alarmingly and Kara huffed in ridicule when she saw it was just Donny, observing them rudely. She reached for a rock nearby and threw it at the ugly Pterodactyl, missing him by many inches.

After he left with an offensive growl, Kara turned to Mike and chuckled awkwardly. They were similarly befuddled with the current that had been going on between them. Kara busied herself by making a rudimentary bandage out of the remains of her shirt for Mike's wound. She didn't mind ruining her expensive shirt. It was worth it if it helped to save a life. Furthermore, it was too hot to wear that anyway. She felt more comfortable now in her camisole top.

"Thank you, Kara." Mike's voice made Kara look back at him. "Not just for this… thank you for coming back to save me."

Kara shook her head. "Don't mention it, Mike. You've saved me more than once."

They nodded at each other, and Kara remembered the promise he had made to her. "And just so you know, I'm not gonna let anything else happen to you either. I promise. Besides, my boss would kill me if I don't get him that interview with you. We weren't finished!"

Mike grinned at her sweetly and it seemed he was doing a little better. "Let's get to that storage faster. It shouldn't be that far now." He sighed and rose to his feet. Kara watched him carefully, ready to step in should he need to lean his weight on her.

The duo resumed their track and Kara tried hard not to stare at Mike's muscular back. It didn't help that sweat was glistening on his skin, making it far more distracting.

Indeed the building Mike had mentioned wasn't much farther. Kara saw the grey short structure built among the trees with a metallic locked entrance. Mike opened it with his key card, which was surprising since all systems had been shut down, and allowed Kara to walk in first while holding the heavy door.

"This isn't a storage facility!" Mike claimed in confusion when they found themselves in a lab that looked very different from the one Kara had seen in unit 13. Very futuristic and cutting edge looking. What made it even more suspicious was the fact that the computers were running just fine.

Kara froze when she turned right and saw a Raptor unconscious on a table with wires attached to its head. "Mike?" She called urgently and Mike was by her side within seconds.

"What the hell?" Mike cursed and moved forward to inspect, but he was stopped by the masked man who suddenly showed up. He was dressed in a dark uniform with a black ski mask over his head and held a real rifle to Mike's chest. That gun was no tranquilizer, Kara could tell and he looked nothing like the Park's rescue team.

"Hands over your head." He ordered.

"Who are you? What is going on here?" Mike asked in furry, refusing to do as he was told.

"I said put your hands over your head." The armed man repeated in a threatening tone and Kara shivered to herself. What had they gotten themselves into?

"And I SAID, what the HELL is going on here!" Mike backfired.

The man hit Mike on the head with the hilt of the gun instead of an oral answer. Kara yelped and jumped forward to catch Mike as he fell to his knee. Now he had a new injury on his head.

"What is going on?" A new voice asked wearily and Kara saw another man walking in, wearing suits followed by another similarly masked and armed man. She couldn't believe her eyes. She recognized him. He was the billionaire genius scientist Maxwell Lord, owner, and the CEO of the Lord Industries.

"Sir. They have intruded and were trying to compromise the operation." The first guard explained and Kara rushed to correct them.

"No! Please, we were just trying to find a safe place. We didn't mean to do anything."

Maxwell Lord shook his head in disappointment. "How many times did I say deactivate the keycards? But would he listen…" He mumbled to himself.

Mike finally overcame the disorientation. "Who are you? What are you doing with that Raptor? This is against the policy!"

"You think I'm the one behind this Mr. Matthews?" Max Lord scoffed and upon seeing the surprise on Mike's face, he continued. "Yes, that's right. I've done my homework and I know every single person working in this place. I know who you are Michael Matthews. Bachelor of Paleontology at Metropolis University, turning your back to your family name and fortune to serve five years in the army and quitting it to pursue this job." Kara couldn't believe what he was hearing about Mike, but there was no time to duel on it as Max walked closer to them, his eyes studying Kara now. "However, I don't know you."

"I'm nobody." Kara blurted out nervously.

"You're not nobody. An unforeseen complication in my plans, that's who you are." He stated, shaking his head.

"What is that supposed to mean?!" Mike stood up with his fists clenched. He wasn't going to give in to these people so easily. "You are the one behind all this! Are you not?"

Lord ignored his questions, which in a way could be considered a confirmation, and nodded towards his pawns. "Get them to the back room with the others."

Mike put himself in front of Kara protectively. "You're not taking us anywhere!"

Kara's heart elevated fast in fear of what was going to happen next. She put her hand on Mike's shoulder and bit her lower lip anxiously.

"Don't make this harder than it already is Mr. Matthews. You have nowhere to run and I believe you don't wish to spend the night out there with those monsters you love so much?"

"Do you have ANY idea what you've done!? How many people are dead because of you?!" Mike yelled at him furiously, not caring about the mercenary who was pushing him back.

Maxwell Lord didn't even regard the accusation and spun around to leave. Mike wrestled Lord's guard, but unfortunately, he wasn't at his prime strength with his chest wound and the strain of all the activities and was overcome easily when his hand was twisted locked behind him and pinned to the ground and the barrel of a gun pressed to his head. There was nothing Kara could do but watch fearfully as he had his forehead pressed to the ground, panting heavily.

The man took away Mike's gear belt and knife and practically dragged him across the lab since he was seemingly incapacitated and the second one scowled and pointed his gun at Kara to move. She had no intentions of leaving Mike, so she complied with raised hands and started walking on shaking legs.

The odd bunch reached a door at the end of a corridor where another one of Max Lord's disciples was standing guard. He opened the door and nudged Kara with the barrel of his gun to step inside. Kara frowned at him as she did. Mike was thrown into the room after her and fell sprawled on the floor with a grunt of pain.

"Hey! He's injured!" Kara finally found her voice as she went to help Mike. His silence was seriously worrisome. "Wait! Please! He needs medical attention!"

She begged the masked men but the three goons walked outside as though being deaf and locked the door behind themselves. Kara gritted her teeth and stirred Mike to his back. His eyelids were half open, his skin hot and clammy to the touch.

"Mike?" She called in concern as she gently patted his face. To her horror, he didn't answer and his eyes closed shut. His fever was too high.

"What happened to him?" A voice asked and Kara for the first time realized they weren't alone in the room and there were two others looking at them in wonder and hesitation. The man - the owner of the voice - was standing closest to them and was wearing a white lab coat with round glasses and a cute bowtie which looked silly on him. He was looking between Mike and Kara with concern.

"He's- He was attacked by a dinosaur. His wound is infected." Kara explained in a thick voice. She was terrified of losing Mike so shortly after promising to keep him safe.

The brunet man came to kneel beside them. He untied the pitiful bandage that had been misplaced by all the commotions and studied the ugly looking cut on Mike's chest. It looked far worse from when she had cleaned it not even an hour ago.

"Is he dying?" Kara suddenly asked with tears in her eyes.

"Not if I can help it." He finally raised his head and met Kara's frightful expression.

"Hey, don't worry. Look my name is Barry Allen. I'm not exactly a doctor, but I've been to med school. I know how to help him." His assurance made Kara's heart beat hopefully again.

"Thank you." Kara sniffled and gave Barry a shy smile.

The kind stranger jumped to his feet and dashed to the shelves close by, to get the things he needed to help Mike and Kara wiped her tears as she watched his rapid movements while keeping a hand on Mike's shoulder. The room was stacked with boxes and standing fridges filled with tubes and capsules. Kara's eyes wandered to the only other person who was sharing their unfortunate fate.

The girl sitting in the corner hugging her knees, had blond hair like Kara, but more curly. Kara noticed she was wearing a lab coat too. They briefly made eye contact without saying anything.

Barry returned very fast with a handful of packages and syringes. He tore open a thin rectangular package and picked two sterile gloves and put them on. He poured a colorless liquid on a gauss which Kara instantly recognized when the sharp smell of alcohol stung her nose. It was Ethanol. Perfect substance to disinfect a wound.

The lab assistant started cleansing the deep gash. Kara was happy Mike had passed out at this point, otherwise, this would have hurt like a bitch. When Barry picked a curved nail and some special sewing thread, Kara refused to continue watching. She scrambled back, trusting Barry and went to sit close to the girl.

"H- Hi. I'm Eve." She introduced herself and Kara shook her outstretched hand immediately, glad to be distracted from Mike for a little while.

"Kara." She simply stated.

They regarded each other for a few seconds with sad faces.

"Do you know what's going on here?" Kara asked in hopes that at least one person could answer what was happening.

Eve fidgeted with the fringe of her white coat nervously before replying. "It was just a normal day and we were working and suddenly these people broke in and put us here."

"Did they say what they want?"

Eve shook her head. "No, they just forced Barry by holding me at gun's point, to give the password to login the system and since then they hadn't even come to check on us and nothing has happened. The power went out once though." She added.

Kara sighed. This was so infuriating. No one seemed to know what was going on and what seemed to be a simple glitch in the system had turned into a hostage situation and felony by mad scientists.

It didn't take long for Barry to finish stitching up Mike and bandage him nicely. He was really fast, like a flash. They pulled Mike to a side and Kara found some foams somewhere and used them as a pillow to make it more comfortable for him. Luckily they had a water tab in the room and Kara used it to wet a gauss and put it on Mike's forehead to keep his fever down.

Something told Kara it was going to be a long night for all of them.


	5. Chapter 5: Peter Pan and Wendy

**Chapter 5: Peter Pan and Wendy**

Alex Danvers was a high profile FBI agent with an attitude. She lived in National City and was in a happy and loving relationship with her girlfriend, Maggie Sawyer, the NCPD detective.

Alex was having a very boring Tuesday at the office, alone with her arch nemesis, aka paper works, when she heard the news about the catastrophe on Isla Nublar Island where Jurassic Park was. There were dinosaurs rampaging on loose over the place and the footage showed people leaving the island in panic. Some had gotten injured in the rush of the crowd and a few attacked by some flying dinosaurs. The death toll wasn't clear, something between thirty to fifty civilians and employees.

It was truly horrible, but what made the news more disturbing to Alex personally, was the fact that her sister Kara had called just the day before to vent how Snapper was sending her there for a job assignment. After hearing the news and Kara not answering her phone, she wasted no time to pull some strings and got a private flight to Costa Rica at the same day.

A lot of people tried to stop her from going or entering the Park, claiming she had no authority outside the USA, but she was Alex Danvers and Alex would cross galaxies and achieve the impossible if her sister's safety was involved.

Alex made it to Costa Rica and despite the sickening fear she held inside, went to the morgue where the remaining, unidentified bodies were being kept and stepped outside, holding on to the flickering hope that Kara wasn't among those corpses.

It was 10:43 am Wednesday when Alex walked inside Jurassic Park's Headquarters where Director John Jones, the head of the Park's security was waiting for her. The security team consisted of a dozen soldiers, and a few tech experts were the only people remained behind. The whole island had been evacuated.

"Agent Danvers." The stoic African American greeted her coldly with his arms folded over his chest.

"Director Jones." Alex acknowledged with a nod.

"I'm informed you will be joining our force as a consultant in handling the situation and finding the missing people." John said as he walked towards the monitor showing many pictures with names and some empty slates with the words 'civilian' written inside them. Alex's heart dropped at seeing it. One of them had to be Kara. She knew the chances were slim, but Alex just knew she was still alive.

Alex was seething. No one had told her that she would be here just as a consultant. She was infuriated but tried to keep her cool. She had gotten this far, she could do it for Kara's sake.

"Yes, I'm here to help you save these people before it's too late."

"Good, then let's get to work." The director guided her to a circular commanding area where some people were working with computers, while other soldiers were talking pointing at different locations on a map laid on a table.

John stopped by a man seated on a chair and immersed in typing.

"This is Winslow Schott. He had been in contact with two of the missing targets." He introduced before leaving them alone.

The man stood up and faced Alex. "Hi, I'm Winn." He said nervously.

"Alex Danvers."

"Danvers? Are you related to Kara Danvers?" Winn asked in awe.

Her heart raced in anticipation. She wondered how this man knew her sister and if he was going to tell her the words she dreaded most.

"I'm her sister! Where did you see her last?" Alex demanded and walked closer to Winn. She didn't ask that one specific question though, fearing that even speaking that word out loud could somehow turn it to reality.

Winn gulped hard, looking awfully intimidated by Alex's demanding manner.

"I- I think she's still alive!" Winn blurted out and Alex let out the breath she had been holding without even realizing. He had startled her by telling her that, even though she hadn't asked it.

"Tuesday, we were being rescued by the Park's guards, but she jumped off the chopper to help Mike." Winn continued.

"WHAT?!" Winn visibly shrank from her loud voice. "Who the hell is Mike?"

"He's ehm- he's a dinosaur trainer. Kara said she was here to interview him."

It wasn't at all like Kara to do such stupid things. Much less for a boy. She wasn't buying it. "And where is this Mike?"

"Missing with Kara."

"Why didn't I see her name on the screen? Have you withheld this information?"

"No! I swear I've already told them everything I know in details, three times! I don't know why they won't put up her name." Winn said in a pitched voice and Alex decided he wasn't lying.

"What happened that Kara so eagerly jumped off a chopper to help this man?"

Winn only gaped at her in panic. Alex had no time for his coward behavior and stepped into his personal space, pinning him with a deathly glare. Winn quaked, trapped between Alex and the desk. He gave in predictably.

"He was being chased by a ." Winn blurted out and his words hit Alex like a speeding truck.

* * *

Kara was awakened by the movements to her right. She felt annoyingly confused with no recollection of where she was and why the hell had she fallen asleep in sitting position. Her neck was painfully sore.

Her eyes registered a man - a gorgeous man – next to her and when her eyes met with his dreamy stormy ones, she remembered everything.

"Mike!" Kara gasped joyfully at seeing him awake and sitting on his own. His face didn't seem so pale and on the verge of death anymore. In her excitement, Kara didn't think about her actions as she pulled him into a hug. "I was so scared. Are you ok?"

"Hey, It's ok Kara. I'm fine." Mike chuckled, patting her on the back.

Kara pulled back and looked at him up and down to decide for herself if his words were true. He didn't seem to be in pain anymore. That was promising.

Mike pointed at the two sleeping forms in the room. "Who are they?"

"That's Barry Allen. He helped you. And that's Eve Tessmacher." Kara explained, pointing from Barry to Eve before adding. "Both of them are lab assistants here and Max Lord locked them here. He's hacked the system from here. They said he has a guy with them he calls Brainy!"

"Hold on! Max Lord? Are you telling me that douche bag back there was Maxwell Lord?!"

"Yes." Kara confirmed. "You didn't know him? His pictures are usually all over the news."

"I don't watch the news much." Mike mumbled embarrassedly.

After a short pause, Kara noticed the strange look on Mike's face. "What? You know something?"

"No, I don' know…" He scratched his chin and shook his head dismissively.

"Come on, you can tell me." Kara encouraged him in a softer voice.

Mike gauged her for a few seconds before sharing what was on his mind. "It's eh… A few months ago I heard Lord was visiting the Park to meet with Lillian Luthor and I know they don't meet eye to eye. They've had this long-standing disagreement on how to launch the Park, and rumor has it that Lex-Corp, when Lex Luthor was still around, has deliberately erased his major role in many researches that helped with reanimating the dinosaurs. He basically denied Lord's, his share of profit and rights to the Park and made the dinosaurs DNA sequences the inclusive property of L-Corp."

Kara felt her brain cells flaring. "Are you saying he's here to sabotage the whole Park as a revenge?"

"Maybe, but this is not like him. This whole Park is like his child. Parents don't kill their children. But I sense he's up to something and I don't think he has considered or cared how many people would get hurt in between."

Kara pondered on his theory for a while, yet couldn't think of what Lord could be skimming in his revenge.

"What about that Raptor? What do you think they're doing to him?" Kara asked for his opinion about the lone creature that they witnessed was being experimented on.

Mike scrunched his face in disgust. "That was Ace. One of my boys. He fell sick a while ago and I called the specialized vet team to come and take him in. I have no idea how he's ended up here instead. This is completely against our rules." He shook his head in disappointment.

"Wait, Ace? Rufio? Uh, Mike have you named the Raptors after the Lost Boys in Hook?" Kara looked at Mike in amusement.

He smirked despite the graveness of their current discussion. "Yeah, I mean, they're kinda like Lost Boys in this world. Don't you think? Out of their time, frozen for ages and now living in this haven."

"And let me guess, you're their Peter Pan, huh?" Kara slapped his shoulder in jest and Mike giggled.

"Yes, I am."

"Oh, then Max Lord is Captain Hook!" Kara tried and failed to stifle he laughter at her own stupid joke. Seriously, what had come over her, making up absurd nonsense amidst such critical circumstances?

"Then that makes you Wendy."

Kara stopped laughing and looked away at once, her cheeks burning at his insinuation. Thankfully Barry stirred awake at that moment and saved her from the awkward moment.

"Hey man, thanks for saving my life." Mike waved at a still sleepy Barry.

"Oh hey. Don't mention it." Barry smiled at him and sat straight before adding. "I'm glad you're feeling better. That was a nasty wound you got there. What did that?"

"A Spinosaurus." He simply said.

"Was it the same kind that attacked us back in the control room?" Kara asked.

Mike grimly nodded. "Their biggest cousin. They're among the most aggressive species. I could never get anywhere with their training." His face contorted with guilt. "I couldn't get to them all in time."

"It's not your fault. None of it was your fault." Kara tried to sooth his guilt-riddled feelings.

"Barry, what were you doing with that Raptor?" Mike turned his attention back to the slim young man.

"Just monitoring the brain function. Me and Eve," Barry gestured at Eve – who had woken up at their voices – and continued. "We are researching the brain wave patterns in different conditions for our post-Doc. Lena Luthor had helped to fund the project and we've been studying various species for the past seven months."

"And no one told you experimenting on them is illegal?"

There wasn't time for Barry to explain when the door cracked open and the Captain Hook of their story, Maxwell Lord, walked in with his pirates. He turned his maliciously sparkling eyes to where Kara and Mike were sitting and smirked.

"As it turns out, you two aren't a complication after all. You are my ticket out of here and much more."

Mike struggled to his feet and glared at Lord. "Whatever it is that you think we would do for you, we won't, Mr. Lord."

"Oh, I see there is no need for introduction after all. What gave it away? My good looks I assume?" The crazy scientist shook his head in amusement while tugging at the sleeve of his pristine expansive suit to flatten the tiny wrinkles.

"You're not getting anything!" Mike yelled.

"I'm not asking and you don't get a say in this." Max Lord claimed in irritation, Mike's resistance seemingly getting under his skin at last.

With his nod, two of thugs moved to get Barry and Eve with the threat of their guns. They couldn't do much against them, just ineffective groans and complains. To Kara, Mike seemed to ready to jump in and stop them, but that could be useless and get too dangerous at the presence of guns, so she held his fisted quivering hand in hers gently and squeezed to stop him before it was too late. At her touch, he turned and read her eyes. She watched the clench in his jaw never uneased, however, his fist loosened gradually.

They took the young researchers with them and locked the door behind them again.

* * *

Back at the HQ, Winn had been working for hours to restore the jammed system. A very cunning hacker had blocked any access to the codes, and even though Winn considered himself as a prodigy when it came to hacking, he couldn't break through the firewall. At least not with the low authorization he had as a regular monitoring member. He could come up with a way to break through his clearance limitations, but he feared that would be considered a crime and he really didn't want to lose his job or worse, end up in jail.

Winn really hated the guy behind all this. What was this all about? He was clueless. All Winn cared about was saving his best friend Mike and despite all the odds against his survival chances, he knew Mike was still alive and so was Kara. Because he believed Mike was the best dinosaur trainer in the world and if anyone could make it out of there, it was him.

With a frustrated grunt, Winn pushed the keyboard away and rubbed his dried tired eyes. Why couldn't he do this? Sleep deprivation, the stress and a very scary FBI agent breathing down his neck certainly hadn't been helpful. Winn decided coffee should be a good fix about now.

He dragged his feet to the coffee machine in a corner and only then did he see the clock was showing it was past four in the morning. Wow! had he really spent the whole night here without even noticing? At least that explained why he was the only person there.

"Schott!" A very familiar voice called him just as he tried to take the first seep at the hot drink. He really hated when he was called by his last name. It was how his father used to be called and he really didn't like to be reminded of his dad.

Winn screwed his eyes shut momentarily, begging God to cut him some slacks. "Agent Danvers." He greeted the intimidating badass woman who had an uncanny resemblance to one of the beautiful Night Elves he liked in Warcraft. "What can I do for you Agent Danvers?" He forced a weak smile.

"Any progress?"

"No. I'm sorry." He shook his head and avoiding the sharp brown eyes that were staring at him.

"Alright then, come into the conference room downstairs when you finished your coffee. Something is happening, we need your help."

Winn couldn't believe she was letting him have his coffee after all the cold and sometimes bordering aggressive treatment from yesterday.

"Okay." He finally managed to say as she walked away. Winn knew Alex was worried sick about her sister, so he didn't really hate her. Just a little scared of her.

When Winn reached the mentioned room and slipped through the doors with his laptop clutched to his chest. He was startled to see the people present in the room. Apart from Alex Danvers and Director Jones, he recognized his two bosses, Lillian and Lena Luthor, sitting around the table, facing a screen with a clock on it, showing the wrong time. 7 hours 34 minutes.

The moment he had entered, everyone except Lillian turned their heads to him, making Winn sweat nervously under their stares. The dark-haired woman with piercing green eyes, Lena Luthor, was the first to speak.

"Mr. Schott, we need your help to stop the people behind the hacking." She said going straight to the point, without beating around the bushes.

Winn nodded right away. "I'm ready to help." He moved ahead to an empty seat and put his laptop on the table in front of him.

Lillian let out a scornful disrespectful scoff. "As if he can do anything. I could call our own trusted technicians. We can't let an armature see this."

Winn frowned. A surge of anger made his hands sweaty and shaky. Who was she to call him an armature?

"Mother!" To Winn's surprise, Lena challenged her own mother. "We've already had this discussion! He is one of the best! We can trust him, and the time is running out!"

It was such a weird thing to be praised by a Luthor. It felt both good and scary at the same time. Before he got to ask what they were talking about, John Jones put a paper and pen in front of him.

"This is a non-disclosure agreement, by signing this you are agreeing that you will not be sharing any of the information you are about to witness in this meeting or you shall be persecuted by law."

Winn swallowed stressfully, but wasted no time and signed the paper. If this was what it took to help finding and saving his best friend, then so be it.

Right after signing the agreement, Lena Luthor handed him a USB cable and Winn plugged it in and connected to the system. She then provided him with her password that allowed him to have access to every part of the server since she had the topmost clearance. A video popped open automatically. Winn gasped quietly when he saw two people gaged by gray tapes and tied to chairs with two masked man holding guns to their heads.

"We meet again Luthor."

Winn gasped quietly when Maxwell Lord, his idol, stepped in the frame with a smug smile on his face. Winn couldn't believe his eyes. Lord went to stand behind the terrified restrained man, before starting his speech.

"I know you think I can't win because you already fooled me once, but this isn't a game anymore. You know exactly where I am. Yes, I know all your dark secrets. All the things you try to keep hidden so the world believes in the illusion that you are finally doing something good, when instead you are trying to weaponize the Raptors."

He walked to stand behind the blond girl this time. She was slightly shaking and rings of tears shone in her eyes.

"But I'm not like you. I just want to take back what was mine in the first place and then maybe I will call us even. I will release these people when you meet each of my demands."

Lord made a pause, letting his words sink in before letting them know what he wanted.

"One." He raised his index finger. "I want full compensation of ten billion dollars for what had been taken away from me, transferred to my Swiss account. And Two."

He added his middle finger to his index finger.

"I want all the reconstructed DNA samples of the dinosaurs, released to Lord Industries for my own researches and purposes. I want a suitcase of the samples to be delivered by only one disarmed man."

He dropped his hand and grinned victoriously at the camera. "You have 24 hours and don't think you can trick me because I will know. If I don't have the proof of money transfer to my account or the suitcase by 12 pm tomorrow, or if you try to send people here to upper hand me, I will not hesitate to release that information to the press and kill these people."

It seemed the recording was about to end, but Max Lord turned around and added. "Oh and after that, we can discuss how I'm leaving this circus, because we both know I have more leverage than you think. The clock is ticking!"

The video ended there and instead, a clock appeared reading 7 hours and 22 minutes, counting down. It made sense now. The clock on the screen wasn't the time of day. It was the time left until the deadline, figuratively and literally.

Lena Luthor was once again the person who broke the silence.

"Mr. Schott, we want you to use this video with my clearance to break down their firewall and format the system completely by 12 pm."


	6. Chapter 6: Bangarang

**Chapter 6: Bangarang!**

Kara was very hungry as she knew others must be as well, though no one had said a word. Thanks to Mike's calculator wrist watch, she knew it had been a day since Barry and Eve had returned without a scratch on them, only a little shaken. They told Kara and Mike about the ransom and that in a day something will happen. The anticipation had caused food not to have any priority. Mike had tried to convince them to come up with an escape plan, but Barry was hopeful that the Park's security team would come to their aid sooner or later and decided it was best if they didn't do anything risky. They barely talked anymore after that. Drifting between awakens and sleep, Just waiting.

The door finally opened again, showing their triplet masked jailers. They pointed their rifles at them, forcing them up to their feet and leave the room. They walked in a line down the short corridor that reached the lab. There they met Maxwell Lord's not to happy face, watching the work of another man – Brainy, Kara assumed – who was typing vigorously. He was shorter than Max, with wild white hair and a skin as pale as if it had never seen the sun. He looked more like a ghost. Ghost of a person struck by lightning to be more precise.

"The money has been wired fully. According to my calculations, there shouldn't be any unforeseen loopholes to withdraw it." Brainy stated very fast.

They all clearly heard the sound of a helicopter approaching. "They're here." Lord clapped his hand and motioned to one of his disciples who pushed Barry and Eve to move towards the exit. He then turned his head to the other two cohorts and ordered. "Get them ready."

From somewhere, they had found a shirt with the park's logo on it and forced Mike wearing it. Obviously, it wouldn't look appeasing for them if his wounds were on display. Under the threat of the barrels of the guns, Kara and Mike got tied to the same chairs Barry and Eve had been, facing a camera with their mouths shut by wide tapes.

They couldn't do anything but listen to the sounds and muffled conversation coming from the outside. It was hard to understand what was happening. Most likely the DNA samples had been traded with Barry and Eve's freedom. It didn't take long until Max returned, carrying a big silver suitcase. Brainy came to stand behind the camera and pushed a button that caused a red dot next to the lens to turn on, showing that they were on the air.

"I see we understand each other perfectly now. It wasn't that hard, was it?" Lord spoke brightly to the invisible audience. "And now we can move to the second part with these two unfortunate wanderers who came knocking on my door. I call it fate." He laughed like a psychopath. "Let's make another trade. I want a chopper landed on the west side of the Stegosaurus sanctuary in _two hours_ and I will let this man go right here." He pointed at Mike who was giving him death glares. "And when I get to a safe place, you can come pick her up." He nodded towards Kara.

Kara's heart dropped in apprehension once again. They were going to separate them and she didn't want that at all. She turned her head and met Mike's equally worried eyes. They refused to look away from each other through the rest of the recording and held their gaze on one another.

* * *

Alex looked over the beautiful green scenery stretched in every direction with a heavy heart. She had an almost confirmation where Kara was thanks to Winn's skills in infiltrating Maxwell Lord's perfect firewall. He had managed to turn on the lab's computer webcams without Lord noticing.

They hadn't been able to see any of the hostages, however, their conversation had occasionally included their plans for four people. The other unknown two being a man and a woman, Alex just knew they had to be her sister and Mike Matthews. After a heated discussion with director Jones and proving her more than sufficient capability to deal with hostage situations as an FBI agent, Alex was chosen to be the person who would deliver the ransom.

As for formatting the servers and blocking Lord's access, Alex, John, and Lena had convinced Lillian that they should go along with Lord's demands and wait until all the hostages were safe, in order to not to tip him off so early on and risk lives. The older Luthor didn't seem particularly concerned about the lives involved. Now Alex knew whose side of the family Lex had taken to. The money transfer was done with Winn's promise that it could be redone and the DNA samples were all placed in a suitcase and ready for transport.

From her place on the helicopter, Alex couldn't spot any of the hungry dinosaurs lurking around down there. They had lost track of the too. Each dinosaur had a tracker they could locate them with, but with the system down, it wasn't possible.

Alex heard the pilot shouting that they were getting closer to the drop point. She yanked on the straps around her waist, attached to her tactical suit and checked them one last time, before reaching for the big suitcase. The aircraft started lowering and she saw the short building more than 15 yards below. She threw out the rope ladder the moment they started hovering and started slipping down from the rope like a professional SWAT agent. The helicopter stayed where it was, ready for the two promised hostages and Alex to get back on it. She had less than two minutes before the deadline.

"I thought you'd never show up." Alex heard a man shout and saw Maxwell Lord himself standing in the doorway. She raised the hand that wasn't holding the case with and showed it empty to gain his trust.

"Where are the hostages?" She yelled over the still too loud sound of helicopter blades slashing the air.

Lord stepped outside and behind him, Alex saw the two scared scientists in white lab coats. She was relieved to see them unharmed.

"Put down the suitcase and take ten steps back." Lord ordered her.

"Let the hostages come outside first!" Alex demanded.

"You're in no position to bargain with me!" He rejected sternly and Alex gritted her teeth and obeyed begrudgingly because he was right. All she wanted was to put a bullet in his head for keeping her sister and these people hostage, but she couldn't. Not just yet anyway.

One of Lord's masked guards in black outfit walked over and picked up the heavy case. Alex waited and watched impatiently as he trudged back the same way he had come and only when Max had the samples safely in his hold did he nod to his second bodyguard to let the hostages go. The two jogged towards Alex with bowed down heads.

"I'm watching. If you don't leave in less than three minutes, I will order them to shoot the rest of the hostages." Max Lord threatened and shut the heavy door.

Alex prompted Barry and Eve to climb the rope ladder quickly first before starting to climb herself. When the two boarded safely, she ordered the pilot through her radio to move even though she hadn't reached the helicopter yet. The pilot didn't question and flew back towards HQ. The moment they got far enough, Alex disengaged the buckles on her jacket and cut herself loose from the ropes, bracing for a rough landing. There was no way in hell she was going to let her sister and Mike stay in the clutches of that narcissistic maniac.

It didn't take long until the base contacted her. John Jones yelled at her for good measures before telling her about the second video and Lord's plans for Mike and Kara. Her heart dropped. She had to do something. Finding the direction of the north with the help of the sun, Alex headed back towards the building where Maxwell Lord was, careful to avoid all the cameras which she knew Lord's computer guy, Brainy, was watching closely.

Later on, when Alex had to escape some dinosaurs, she realized she hadn't really thought this through, but there was no turning back now.

* * *

After the recording, Kara and Mike were thrown back into that storage room. Mike kept pacing back and forth, his eyes glued to the ground, making Kara even more nervous.

"Mike please, can you stop?" Kara finally complained weakly, her head throbbing with a pain she knew was partly result of not eating anything for almost two days.

"I'm sorry." He immediately stopped and came to sit across Kara, crossed legs. "Are you ok?" He asked when he noticed her massaging her temples and put his hands over her knees, brushing with his thumbs.

"Yeah, it's nothing." She shook her head to discard his worry and added dizziness to the pain instead. "Maybe… Maybe someone's coming for us." Her thoughts wandered to her sister Alex not for the first time. If the FBI was handling this, Alex must have heard and knowing her sister, Kara knew she must be flying over there right now if she wasn't already here.

"I'm not going to just sit here and hope the help would come. I tried to wait it out like Barry wanted, but not anymore! We have to do something!" His eyes turned serious again.

"Like what? He has three men with guns!"

"I know, but they seem stupid. We can come up with something to disarm them."

Kara wanted to point out he was still injured and it would be too risky, yet she simply nodded and they both fell silent, deep in their thoughts.

The two hours deadline came to an end much quicker than they had expected. By the time they heard footsteps coming towards the room, both had merely few seconds to get into positions on the two sides of the door according to their plan.

When the door opened, Mike shoved a Nitrogen capsule into the stomach of the first one who entered. He doubled over with a grunt and let go of his gun. The second man got attacked by a pipe Kara had found. Sadly it wasn't as effective or as hard as the capsule Mike had used, but it bought them enough time for Mike to get hold of the fallen gun and pointed it at the still standing man. The only problem was that the second guy had a gun of his own as well.

"Drop it!" Mike shouted.

"You drop it!" He yelled back.

"You can't shoot us! You need us!"

The masked man stared back stupidly. That was when the third guard decided to come and see what was all the noise about and Mike knew he couldn't win this.

"NOW!" He shouted at Kara and she threw a can on the ground, and Mike shot it instantly.

A yellow stinky fog blinded everyone's sight and their eyes started burning.

"UGH! What the hell is this?" one of the men shouted, but no one was feeling up to answer it while coughing.

Mike grabbed onto Kara's hand, while still holding the rifle in his other hand and used the chance and pushed at the bulky disoriented man in the doorway and opened the way for them to escape. They ran with their eyes blurry and short of breath. That Ammonia gas hadn't been the best idea since they were affected by it too.

They found their way to the exit door with racing hearts. Seeing no one else blocking their way and the feeling of a breeze of fresh air touching their faces, made them both smile and quicken their steps. They rushed out of the building and stopped dead when they saw Maxwell Lord and Brainy next to a white mini truck container that hadn't been there before.

"We're leaving Lord!" Mike claimed authoritatively and pointed the rifle at him.

"I knew this would happen." Max shook his head in disappointment and quickly, he snatched a colt out of his coat and aimed at Kara. "First they tamper with the samples and, and then we find them spying on us the whole time. I don't have time for this. She's coming with me, but if you don't drop the gun, I will shoot her."

There was no time to react when the guards caught up to them and one of them grabbed Kara from behind.

"LET ME GO!" Kara squirmed and kicked at the man holding her. She wasn't strong enough and Mike couldn't take on two armed men at the same time. They beat him until he succumbed and took away his gun.

Their plan had failed miserably. They tied their hands behind their backs.

Max Lord looked enraged. "Take him to the back and finish him." He ordered one of his men who was holding a beaten up Mike. "This should tell them who they're dealing with."

"NO!" Kara screamed and when she didn't stop, they shut her up with another piece of gray tape.

She looked at Mike's bruised face unblinking, with tears pooling in her eyes and he stared back. There was no way out of this anymore. Trembling, they watched the other getting farther and farther away helplessly until Mike and his executer disappeared behind the building.

Kara was dragged into the back of the truck against her will with tears streaming down her cheeks and whimpering. Lord and one of the men in black went to take the front seats while Brainy and the rest took the empty space behind the truck.

A loud clear gunshot ringed in the air and Kara sobbed harder against the wide tape covering her mouth and her hands twitched and pulled at the rough restrains on them. It didn't take long before a man reappeared, running towards the truck. But it wasn't the man she had hoped against hope to see. It was the man wearing all black.

He wordlessly jumped into the truck, joining the rest of them and closed both truck doors behind him. The vehicle speeded away immediately, impatient to get them to that promised chopper.

Trapped in her grief and shock, Kara didn't care about what was happening around her anymore. How could this have happened? It was all her fault. She should have stopped Mike, from forming this stupid escape plan when she couldn't even handle a pipe. Kara looked down at her tears dripping and staining the floor one after another.

"HEY! WHAT THE FUCK YOU THINK –"

Kara whipped her head up, just to see Mike's killer, the man who had been sitting across from her this whole time, knocked the other masked man next to her out cold with the hilt of his rifle. He then turned around and winked at Kara. She sucked in a quick breath, blinking repeatedly, completely awestruck. That couldn't be, but she recognized those kind stormy eyes. It was Mike in those clothes! He was alive!

He pulled off the ugly mask, showing his bright smiling face, and gorgeously tousled dark brown hair.

"Bangarang!"

Mike shouted gleefully, his eyes sparkling mischievously, and gave Kara a Megawatt grin. Kara couldn't remember being ever this happy to see someone in her life. He cut her restraints and peeled off the tape from her mouth gently.

"MIKE!" Kara instantly wrapped her arms around his neck and in the heat of the moment and the joy of seeing him back alive, she kissed him sweetly on the corner of the mouth.

Mike froze, his hold growing tighter around her waist to prevent her falling through the bumpy ride. A few seconds later he pulled away with a giggle and a little flustered.

"Are you ok? They didn't hurt you, did they?" He asked then with a concerned expression, regarding her red wet eyes.

"No, I'm- I'm ok. I'm just s- so happy you're not dead." Kara stuttered, blushing profusely. She had almost kissed him on the lips right then.

When Mike made sure Kara was okay, he turned to the only other conscious occupant, Brainy, who had been crouched in a corner like a cat, clutching his laptop to his chest and his eyes filled with fear.

"Give me the laptop!" Mike demanded as he approached Brainy, stretching out a hand.

"No! Lord will kill me!" Brainy held the object tighter, shaking.

Kara had no idea why Mike wanted the laptop and only watched and tried to keep her balance in the constantly shaking truck. Mike grabbed the edges of the laptop and yanked hard, but the pale hacker wasn't letting go of it so easy. When Mike showed him his gun, he squeaked. "Please don't kill me!"

"I'm not going to kill you, but I will get that laptop!" Mike poked Brainy in the ribs unexpectedly hard and he yelped, his hold on his precious device loosening.

"No!" He wailed when Mike took the laptop away, nevertheless didn't defy.

Mike moved back to the truck doors. "We gotta go! Kara, Come here!"

Kara went to him, still completely puzzled. "How're we going to escape? You're not saying we jump out of a 100 miles per hour moving truck, are you!?"

"Not exactly, but I got us another ride!" With that said, Mike kicked the doors open to reveal a Jeep chasing the truck closely. Kara gasped at seeing the driver behind the wheels, with her short auburn hair waving wildly by the wind caught in them and the dark sunglasses reflecting the green leaves that passed by rapidly.

"ALEX!"


	7. Chapter 7:Fast & Furious by Tiger Lilly

**Chapter 7: Fast and Furious by Tiger Lilly**

"ALEX!"

Kara shouted her sister's name in disbelief. Alex smiled briefly and inched closer to them so much so that the jeep's front bumpers were almost touching the truck's rear bumpers.

"Look! I found our Tiger Lilly!" Mike laughed at her surprised face. Kara laughed back at him, still in a daze.

"Kara, We're going to jump, ok?" Mike wrapped his left arm around her waist tightly, tucking her to his side. The laptop was secured over his chest into the dark overall he was wearing.

"Whaa -?"

"WHAT THE HELL?! YOU!" Max Lord's angry yell came from behind them, shouting through the small window that connected the front seats to the back of the truck. It was about time for him to find out his plans had all been ruined. "STOP THEM!" He ordered Brainy, but the scared geek didn't move.

"Forget him. On three." Mike said and Kara stared at him flabbergasted. "One…" Hold on, did he mean Alex was like Tiger Lilly? Huh, that sounded about right. "…Two…" Wait, did he just say they were going to jump? "…Three!" Hell no she was nowhere near ready!

"BANGARANG!"

She screamed loudly as she felt her feet not touching the ground anymore and closed her eyes shut.

They crashed onto the jeep's hood and if it weren't for Mike's strong hold on her body, Kara would have fallen and turned into pieces on the ground. She clung to him with everything she had and refused to let her eyes open. She felt Alex deaccelerate immediately, letting Maxwell and his bandits get farther away.

Only when the car came to a full stop, did Kara dare to peek and even then her head was spinning like she had been on a roller coaster. No, this was worse than a roller coaster. They slipped off the hood and Alex jumped out of her seat and rushed to pull her still dazed younger sister into a bear hug. "Kara!"

"Alex! How are you here?" Kara hugged her back, so happy to have her sister with her at this moment. She didn't really need to figure out how she was here though. It was Alex they were talking about, after all. She would be anywhere Kara needed her no matter how.

"I came as soon as I heard! Oh my God! What the hell were you thinking, jumping off the chopper like that?!" Alex pushed Kara out of the embrace and scolded her. That was it. The sweet reunion was over.

"I don't know… it just happened." Kara glanced at Mike who was watching them curiously with a soft smile.

"I can't believe it!" Alex went to take her place behind the wheels again, still fuming. "You will explain to me everything when we get to the Headquarters!"

Kara didn't argue and went to sit inside the jeep next to Alex and fastened her seatbelt like a normal person would and where it was safer than riding the hood. Mike hopped on the back seat without opening the door and Alex didn't waste time to push on the accelerator and turned to drive them away in the opposite direction. There was a chance Max Lord would be coming after them any moment. He hadn't come for them yet though. Maybe he wanted to get out of here either way, with or without hostage.

"Mike! How did you do it? I heard the gun go off and …" Kara turned to ask him, eager to know how he had tricked death.

"Well, Tiger Lilly here showed up out of nowhere," Mike smirked and pointed at Alex who frowned and protested. "Who the hell is Tiger Lilly?! The name's Alex!"

Neither bothered to tell her why Mike called her by that name. It was a long story. "Anyways, I did try to stop that guy, but you know how hard it is when you want to fight with your hands tied behind your back and I thought I was a goner, then I saw her jumped on the guy from a tree like a tigress and kicked him into unconsciousness in two seconds with her ninja moves, then we decided quickly that I should take his place to come and save you. I wore the clothes and Alex made an air shot to fake my death. "

"And where did you find the jeep?"

Alex was the one who replied this time. "I found it in an old garage near that lab."

"You've been busy!" Kara mumbled. "And why did you need the laptop?"

"Winn said they need it to cancel the transfer and fix the system." She then made a sharp turn to dodge a big turtle like dinosaur with the size of a war tank, so fast that the two left tires became airborne momentarily and forced the passengers to hang on to the frame of the jeep. They landed safely without a scratch.

"Wow, how are you two sisters?" Mike interjected cheekily.

Alex' radio came to life then. "Agent Danvers come in!"

"Oh my Gosh! That's Winn!" Kara turned ecstatically to look at Mike.

He smiled and reached for the radio. "May I?" He asked Alex and she tossed him the radio without taking her eyes off the road.

"Winn, it's Mike! Go ahead!"

"MIKE?! Dude! It's so good to hear your voice!"

"Same buddy! We're coming back to HQ. I've got the laptop."

"My man! You come back here soon. Is Kara okay?"

Mike nodded to Kara to answer for herself. "Right here Winn! In the flesh!" She chuckled. "Oh and Over!" She added when she remembered their codes.

"Aw, so you're still together huh?"

Alex grunted at them while going around a slow, Brachiosaurus, chewing on some leaves from the top of a tree. He was thirty meters long and ten meters tall. Kara's jaw dropped as she stared.

"Not the time buddy."

"Dude! I gotta tell you about this girl I just met! Eve! She's so hot!..."

Loud heavy thumps made Kara look to her right and her heart sank to the floor. "Mike?" She called so pitch and weakly that she doubted if he heard her. "It's Tick-Tock!" Kara said the name of the crocodile from Peter Pan tale.

Meanwhile, Winn was still describing Eve. "… And she gave me this smile when I got her a coffee – "

"Ehm, Winn? I'm gonna have to call you back. Rexy is here. Over and out." With that said, Mike ended the call.

"Alex turn left!" Kara shouted, begging Alex to turn the other way.

"No, go right!" Mike opposed and Kara turned to gape at him like he had lost his mind.

"Are you crazy!?" Both Danvers sisters yelled.

"She's seen us already! Trust me! I have a plan!"

"If we die, I'm going to kill you myself!" Alex shouted at Mike, yet did as he told her, going off the road and full speed towards their doom.

"Deal!" Mike accepted and scrambled around in search for something.

"What are you looking for?" Kara asked while digging anxiously into her seat with her nails.

"A blanket or something." He answered vaguely and pulled something out. "Aha!" He exclaimed before dragging out a blue flag on a pole with an unfamiliar symbol at the center. "Alex, when we got her attention, turn right, and back into the road."

"But we'll be going opposite direction!"

"That's the point!"

Mike stood up on his seat and held the flag overhead. It flapped and unfolded violently, making him look like a cavalier charging into the line of the enemy.

"What are you going to do with that?!" Kara cried.

"Cape tricks!"

"WHAT?" Kara was sure she had heard wrong.

Rexy chose that moment to finally break into a run towards them and let them know she had her eyes on them with a mighty deafening roar.

"NOW!" Mike shouted.

Alex made a right again so fast that Kara would have been thrown over Alex if she hadn't her seat belts on and soon a clear road showed up. They were going the direction they were avoiding until now. They were going to the same place Lord was going. But that wasn't the problem now. Trouble was the T-Rex gaining on them with unbelievable speed on enormous muscular legs.

Alex started driving the jeep in zig-zags to confuse Rexy as it tried to take bites at them.

"FASTER!" Kara shrieked when Rexy's jaws snapped shut right next to her and ripped off the side view mirror instead of her head. The size of the teeth this close was enough to give her nightmares for the rest of her life.

Alex stopped zig-zagging and pushed down on the pedal harder. The jeep jumped forward, but the engine yapped like a wounded animal. She was pushing its limits. The path turned smoothly left, revealing a narrow cliff road with rail guards. If they weren't too busy being chased down by a , they would have appreciated the magnificent landscape of the Isla Nublar Island with all the green underneath and the sapphire Pacific Ocean shining brightly beyond, stretched to infinity. It would have taken their breath away.

Suddenly the truck appeared ahead of them, going much slower than they were and taking all the road. There was no space to overtake it. Kara stopped breathing.

There two options left.

A) Slowing down into Rexy's wide open mouth,

and B) Smashing into the truck.

Alex slowed down enough to prevent their death by hitting the truck and pressed the front of the jeep to the back of the truck, pushing them forcefully to drive faster, but the jeep wasn't strong enough. Kara wondered why they weren't going any faster. They must have seen the , haven't they? Or maybe the truck couldn't go any faster?

"ALEX GO OFF THE ROAD!" Mike yelled, almost toppling over Kara in his attempt to get as far as possible from the sharp fangs trying to rip his head off.

"WHAT!?" Alex shouted as the jeep's engine gave away, pushing Mike further into Rexy's mouth and. Mike put his legs under Rexy's jaw and used the flag like a spear and poked her in the nostrils. Rexy growled painfully and withdrew.

At that moment, it accrued to Kara that the term stuck between a rock and a hard place seriously needed an upgrade to describe their situation.

When Rexy came back with vengeance for her scratched snout, Mike reached for the steering wheel abruptly and pushed it to left towards the rail guards and the jeep broke through them easily. "HOLD YOUR BREATH!" Was the last thing Mike said.

"AAAAAAAAA!" They screamed collectively as they fell.

Time slowed down as the car twirled, the sky and earth taking turns to replace each other. Mike, the only one who hadn't been wearing any seatbelts, was thrown forward, his hands spread out like wings, levitating as though he was flying.

It was stupid, but all that went through Kara's head during the fall, was how much she wanted to run her fingers through his short fluffy hair that was fluttering in their free fall, and how he hadn't pulled back from the almost kiss back in the truck. And at the same time, she also hated him for being the cause of their death, cause then she couldn't ask him out or kiss him anymore.

Unexpectedly the fall came to an end very soon with a wet splash and a huge bulk of warm water hit Kara in the face, filling her nose and throat. She started coughing and choking, completely disoriented and panicked.

A hand freed Kara from the stuck seat belt before the jeep became completely submerged, while she was incapacitated. She threw her hands around in search for Alex who should be right next to her, but the layers of water kept blocking her view.

"Kara breathe! I got you!" A voice told her breathlessly. It was Alex, she was the one who was keeping her afloat.

Kara took in deep breaths with a burning throat and tried to calm down. They were neck deep in a lake not that far below the cliff. Alex had her arm around Kara securely and was trying to bring them to the closest bank.

"Where's Mike?" Kara moved her head around, not seeing him anywhere.

"He landed a little farther ahead."

"I don't see him! Where's he?" Kara wiggled against Alex to swim away.

"Kara come on! He's okay! He must be somewhere ahead of us." Alex pulled her hand.

"How do you know?" Kara yanked her hand away from Alex and dived into the water for any signs.

When Alex realized she wasn't going to change Kara's mind, she joined her to search for Mike. They took turns by diving deep and check the now sunken jeep, to see if he had got stuck somehow under it. They couldn't see anything, however.

"There!" Alex Suddenly pointed at something floating away quickly by the water.

"Mike!" Kara called, but he didn't respond.

Alex was the faster swimmer. She had gold medals from state tournaments from back when they were in high school, and being the trained agent she was, she regularly went to pool to keep her body in shape and strong. She reached Mike within seconds and turned him to his back to allow him to breathe. Kara reached them and watched in horror that his eyes were closed shut.

"He must have hit his head." Alex noted and put her arm around his neck to keep his head out of the water, just as lifeguards did, and motioned for Kara to swim follow them. Thank god for the swimming lessons she had taken since childhood.

They managed to get themselves to a shore, dragging Mike heavily between with them by his arms and sprawled on the sands exhausted and heaving. Kara turned to check Mike. Alex was right. He had hit his head, if that already swelling bump on his forehead was any indication.

"Is he breathing?" She asked when Alex put her ear close to his face to listen and two fingers felt for the pulse under his jaw. She shook her head negatively and made Kara's blood run cold.

"He must have swallowed a lot of water." Alex said while quickly getting him ready to do CPR. "Come here." She instructed Kara to seat next to his head. "I pump his heart 30 times, you pinch his nose and blow two times. Ok, you go first. Hurry!"

Kara gawked at Alex for a few seconds perplexed, before getting her bearings. She pinched his nose with a shaky hand and racing heart and put her lips on his, blowing twice. Her whole body shivered with emotions. Fear and other things she couldn't say what they were exactly.

After two rounds Mike started gagging and coughing and Alex immediately turned him to his side as he threw up gulps and gulps of water he had drunken unwantedly. He breathed hoarsely and unevenly with difficulty.

Kara brushed the sticky wet curls away from his forehead, not knowing what else she could do to help him.

"That's it, just breathe." Alex instructed Mike as she patted him on the back.

When Mike seemed to have no more water in his stomach, Alex returned him to his back and checked his pulse. "Yeah, you're good." She nodded and sat back, rubbing her sore arms.

Mike fell asleep soon without any words. He wasn't back to them fully yet. All the freaky adventures of that day and the days before had taken their toll on him. The Danvers sister copied him, taking his sides and lied down on that small beach, having no energy left to even consider what they were supposed to do next.

Kara kept glancing between Mike's resting side profile and staring at the late afternoon sky overhead, trying hard to forget how Mike's lips had felt under hers. She next heard a distant roar and wondered if Rexy had eaten Max.


	8. Chapter 8: How to Train Your Dinosaurs

**Chapter 8: How to Train Your Dinosaurs**

Kara opened her eyes and rubbed them tiredly before sitting up in her still drenched clothes. She then noticed how the sunlight had grown deem and weak. This wasn't good at all. She instantly turned to the other two sleeping figures beside her. "Mike? Alex?" She called them both, only Alex stirred awake.

"What?" Alex yawned and looked at her watch. "It's been- oh shit! We slept for two hours?!" She jumped to her feet and almost kicked at Mike and yelled, "Hey! Wake up you jerk!"

Mike just grunted quietly and refused to open his eyes. Kara leaned over him and observed the beads of sweat glistening on his forehead. His fever was back again.

"Oh, no! Mike? Can you hear me?" Kara shook his shoulders gently. He only mumbled indecipherably in return.

"What's wrong with him?" Alex sat down across her and frowned at Mike. She was very pissed at him for that stupid plan of his.

"His wound is infected. He needs antibiotics!"

Alex massaged her temples in frustration and kicked at the sand beneath her boots. "We were supposed to be back at the Headquarters by now! But thanks to "Mr. Cape Tricks" here, we have no car, no radio and not even a fucking knife to defend ourselves!" She threw her hands out in the air angrily.

This was bad. This was really bad. She was using the f word.

"And now he's dying!" Alex continued as she glared at Mike in disdain. "Hey, you're not dying this easy Mister! You hear me? Cause I'm the one who's gonna kill you!"

Kara stretched her hands protectively over Mike, fearing that Alex was going to choke him any moment now.

"Wow, wow, wow! Calm down Alex! We'll figure this out."

"We'll figure this out?" Alex scoffed. "Do you even know where we are in this godforsaken place?! Do you happen to have a fucking map?"

"No, but if we go on a higher ground we might see where we are. This island isn't THAT big."

The suggestion seemed to be reasonable since Alex's nostrils stopped flaring and she hummed in agreement. "Let's move then, we're losing light."

Alex and Kara put each of Mike's heavy arms around their necks and pulled him along between themselves as he dragged his feet. He was in a limbo. Somewhere between states of consciousness, half-awake and half-asleep. Although, he leaned more towards the latter. His skin was flushed and his eyes were drooping and fluttering of their own accord. A moment open wide and a second later closed. It wasn't the hangover kind of fuzziness, or the exhausted kind of haziness, it was a feverish state. He was struggling to gain awareness, trying hard to keep himself upright and move his feet as much as his barely awake mind allowed in order to help them move forward.

Kara prayed none of the dinosaurs to cross their path because they would be such easy preys in this slow prone state. After a while, Alex stopped next to a rather tall tree and announced she was going to climb it in order to find out where they were just as Kara had thought of.

They resumed their track after Alex climbed down and continued silently in the direction she pointed at. They stopped occasionally when Alex wanted to check if there were any buildings or maybe communication devices around.

It was completely dark now and every sound made them jump. They went past some huge unmoving dinosaurs cautiously. Luckily they were sleeping soundly and never noticed them. When they reached a boulder, Alex called for a break and Kara praised the lord quietly because her back was about to break from carrying half of Mike's weight so long. Especially for the past half hour, he didn't feel cooperative anymore and was leaning more weight on them. No one had ever mentioned weightlifting was in the job description for reporting or else Kara would have worked out a little prior to coming here. The mess her life had become.

"You stay here, I go check there." Alex whispered as she gestured to something in darkness Kara couldn't see.

"Why?" She didn't like the idea of them separating now that it was night.

"I think I saw a pole or antenna there."

"Okay, but be careful." Kara reluctantly agreed.

"Be right back."

She felt Alex squeezing her forearm before leaving. Kara kept an eye on Mike, listening to his shallow breathing. The drowning hadn't helped his case at all. What if he'd ripped open his stitches? Kara was really worried about him. Trying to sooth Mike and maybe herself, Kara whispered to him assuring words, saying that they had come this far and they all would be safe soon.

When Alex took a little long, Kara started chewing on her bottom lip, fidgeting nervously. She took one of Mike's limp and too warm hands in hers and laced their fingers together.

A twig snapped somewhere close. Kara's heart boomed in her chest. Something was out there.

"Alex?" She whispered hopefully, fear dripping from her voice.

A smelly breath blew in her face instead. Kara was so shocked, she couldn't even make a sound. A large head sniffed her soundly and Kara stopped breathing. It was like having a stroke. The scaly head moved to sniff Mike and made a low gurgle noise that sounded very familiar.

"Kara don't move!" She heard Alex saying.

"No, Alex i- it's ok. He won't hurt us." Kara watched in amazement as the Raptor started nudging Mike in the head.

"Rufio?" Kara said the name with every syllable shaking.

The Lost Boy turned his head towards Kara, his eyes shone like a cat in the dark. By hearing the same purring noise from before, Kara was now certain that it was indeed the same Raptor she had patted.

"Kara, what the hell are you doing?!" Alex gasped when Kara reached forward and stroke the dinosaur's head.

"I know him Alex! He's one of Mike's boys. He's trained."

That didn't make Alex any less tense. When other footsteps approached them, Rufio stretched his neck, listening intently. He tapped his crooked shaped middle foot claw on the ground repeatedly and Kara froze when four other Raptors emerged from the darkness. They all stopped at a distance and didn't come any closer. Rufio pivoted his head back to Mike and shoved him more determinedly.

"Ow, ow." Mike groaned as he finally opened his eyes wearily. "R- Rufio?" He asked hoarsely in surprise and raised a tired hand to pat him. "Wha- what are you doing here boy?" He slurred, pulling himself to seat straighter and slowly took in his surroundings.

"Welcome back Dinosaur Master." Kara heard Alex said sarcastically.

"So, are you going to tell us what the hell that plan was supposed to do besides getting us killed?" Alex snapped at Mike, as soon as he was back on his feet. Kara couldn't see Alex's face, but she sensed her anger clearly.

"I was trying to trick Rexy to chase Lord instead of us. There was a second road on the other side of the cliff road where we could separate our way with them and let Rexy follow them instead. Only they were going too slow and the interception I was thinking of, was on the other side of the cliff road. I was hoping they were there. Just a miscalculation. I'm sorry, but at least that fall wasn't too long, was it?" He laughed dryly.

Alex jumped on Mike and twisted his arm behind his back. "You think this is funny?"

The Raptors hissed and swung their tails in agitation. Rufio growled intimidatingly and Alex withdrew immediately. She wasn't that angry to get on the wrong side of a pack of Raptors. Mike rose a hand and stopped Rufio from coming closer.

Kara pushed herself between the two to stop any further incidents. "Ok, what's done is done! We're alive and that's all that matters. Let's focus back here."

Alex ignored Kara's attempt to change the subject and said, "At least tell me you know the way to the HQ."

"I'm really sorry, I don't know where we are. Not in this dark. But look at the bright side, we're not in the Predators zone anymore! That should count for something, right?"

Alex knew better than to try any other moves on him for his untimely humor and only grumbled.

"I wonder though, how're you boys here? The gates and cages must be all messed up." Mike said.

Kara wanted to groan and throw a tantrum. She wasn't sure if they would last another attack.

Later Kara couldn't say if she had ever imagined herself being in a weirder group. Three people in a circle made of Raptors who were escorting them and keeping them safe from possible ambushes. That made her feel very much safer. Never in million years would she have believed this to happen in any reality. It was fascinating how Mike seemed to have regained a part of his stamina with his Lost Boys near him and was walking on his own now. He made different whistling sounds occasionally to which the Raptors responded immediately in their own unique ways, as though chatting with Mike.

Mike had done a fantastic job training them. They hadn't been fed in over two days, yet none of them even as much had tried to come closer for anything apart smelling them.

They made it to a clear road by some fences which they could easily follow to the HQ. Kara almost cried happy tears when they finally saw the lights emitting through windows of a building guarded by tall fences over a hill, from afar. It was finally over. When they came close to the Headquarters, Mike sent the Raptors away reluctantly. He feared they would get shot by the guards if they came too close. The three humans continued climbing the steep winding road that led them to their final destination, alone and very tired.

"Oh God!" Alex suddenly exclaimed loudly.

Kara and Mike snapped their heads to Alex, holding back their breaths. "What?!"

"We lost the laptop!"

* * *

A warm blanket, dry clothes and a few cups of steaming hot tea later, Kara felt she was finally relaxed enough to fall asleep. She had been put under IV in a four-bed infirmary due to dehydration and had gotten little stitches and bandages on her arms and legs for all the scratches and cuts.

Mike wasn't far from where she was, lying on a bed on the other side of the room, fast asleep. They had to attend to his wounds and gave him medication that knocked him out very fast. He was going to be okay.

Sometime in the early hours, Kara woke up momentarily from the noises when they brought in a person on a gurney and put them in a third bed. They hid the body from sight with the white curtains around it. Kara was too sleepy to ask about it and let it go until morning.

When she opened her eyes next, Kara saw Alex napping in a chair near the bed. She couldn't help the smile that slipped over her face seeing her big sister being there for her. Kara pushed away her blanket and looked over to where Mike was. She crept out of the bed quietly and walked over to him. Kara sat on the stool next to his bed and watched him asleep.

His eyes were closed, breathing slowly and calmly. All the cuts and bruises on his face had partially covered the handsome face she had first seen, but to Kara, that wasn't what made him so attracting. Well, admittedly, it was a part of it. Just a little. What mattered most to her, was what they went through and how he had fought, never losing hope. That was amazing. Most people would have given up much sooner, but he saved people, stood up to bad guys and came back to save her when he could have just forgotten about her and save himself. That meant something to her, yet she didn't know what it meant to him.

"Hey." Kara was taken out of her thoughts by Mike's slurred quiet greeting.

"Hey!" She said back, noticing his groggy stormy blue eyes blinking back at her. "You're awake!" Kara pointed out the obvious. Kara Danvers' nervousness trademark.

"Is it me or did you suddenly find a twin sister? Cause I'm seeing two of you. It's really cool." He chuckled with unfocused eyes. Those drugs must have been still very strong in his system.

"No, sorry. I think it's just the drugs." Kara told Mike with a giggle and he hummed in agreement. "I'm so glad you're okay. We almost lost you in the lake."

Mike sighed and turned his eyes to the ceiling. "Yeah, it was stupid. Alex was right to want to kill me."

"No, don't say that! Alex always wants to kill someone!"

"You have one hell of a sister, you know that? I think my boys were actually scared of her."

"Yeah, I used to have a cat called Streaky. He didn't like Alex much either. Left the room whenever she came in." Kara chuckled at the memory.

Mike laughed along with her and they stared at each other smiling, then Mike attempted to sit up to bring himself level with Kara's face.

"You know, you look beautiful." He suddenly said, making Kara blush deeply.

"Oh, th- thank you." she stammered.

"So much more beautiful than Wendy." He whispered, reaching a hand to tuck a loose strand of her blond hair behind her ear. He leaned closer and Kara felt his warm breath blowing gently on her face. Before Kara knew it, Mike's lips were sucking slowly on her upper lip so softly and she found herself kissing him back in the most tender kiss she had ever had.

He then pulled away, his eyes drooping. "Absolutely beautiful…" He repeated himself as he lied back down and slipped out of the conscious world merely seconds later.

Kara sat there, paralyzed and her heart racing. Did he just kiss her? It must have been the drugs. There was no other explanation. But she kissed him back? Kara didn't know how long passed like that, with her staring at him sleeping blankly until someone called. It was Alex.

"Earth to Kara! Hello? Could you leave Romeo for a second and come here?"

"Wh- what? Why? Why you call him Romeo? What do you mean?" Kara rambled on, completely flustered and embarrassed by the thought that Alex might have seen them kissing.

"I'm not blind!" So she had seen them then. "The guy has been giving you looks from the moment I saw him." She hadn't seen them then? "And let's not forget how you were choking over him in that CPR operation." Alex snickered and wiggled her eyebrows.

"Oh, shut up!" Kara slapped her arm, half mad and half relieved she hadn't seen them kiss.

"So how are you feeling?" Alex asked.

"I'm good." Kara replied, sitting on her bed and regarded the dark circles under Alex's eyes. "And You?"

"Huh, like any dinosaurs can shake me this easily." She bluffed with her arms folded over her chest.

Kara smiled at her sister. Typical Alex. "So, did you find Maxwell Lord?"

Alex turned her head to look at the bed with the closed curtains around it. "Yeah, he's over there."

"What happened?"

"What do you think? Rexy happened."

"What about his minions?"

Alex silently shook her head. Kara didn't know how she felt about this news. "At least this whole madness is over now, right?" Kara suggested, trying to cheer herself up and when Alex didn't nod along, her smile turned hollow. "Right?" She repeated doubtfully this time.

Alex avoided her eyes and studied her nails instead.

"No?" Kara asked scared.

"No, the system is still down. Rexy's on the loose and a shit load of them are roaming around killing each other. It's like a freaking National Geographic documentary out there! And to top it all, a tropic storm is gonna hit us soon!"

Kara pinched herself to make sure she wasn't trapped in a nightmare.

When Kara remained quiet Alex continued, "Winn is working on it, but it's no good. The island is evacuated and right now we have no aircrafts and no other transportation with enough fuel to get us off the island. Those Luthor assholes won't lend us their private jet either. They're lying through their teeth saying they fear it won't hold against the storm." Alex narrowed her eyes in loathsome. "They said it's gonna take the National Guard a day or two till they send us some helicopters. That is IF the storm settles soon."

"But we're safe here, right?" Kara hopefully interjected.

"As long as Rexy has food." Alex mumbled cynically as she looked away.

Kara left the bed and started pacing the ground, rubbing her temples. "Uhhhh, this is bad."

"Calm down Kara. We'll be okay."

She tried to listen and took in some deep breaths. A female brunette Doctor then entered the infirmary to check on them and gave Kara a clean bill. Kara left the place soon with Alex to get some much-needed breakfast. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten.

When they walked into the central control room after having her hunger dealt with, Kara easily spotted Winn with his short hair fuzzy from running his hands through them too many times. He was crouched over a laptop, mumbling to himself.

"Winn!" Kara called him loudly, catching him by surprise. The poor guy had turned so jumpy.

"Kara!" He jumped to hug her and made Kara laugh. They barely knew each other, yet this whole accident had made them feel close like a family. "Man I was worried sick for you guys! You have to tell me everything! How did you escape Rexy?"

"I will, but I HAVE to ask, Rexy? Seriously? You call a T-Rex Rexy? You couldn't come up with something a little more sophisticated?"

"Hey, I've named her that!" Winn complained as a fake look of hurt appeared on his face. "Mike wanted to call her Roxana, but that name's too much for her. Besides, what else would you call a T-Rex, hah?" A grin then spread over Winn's worn and sleep deprived features.

Kara couldn't resist the laughter bubbling in her chest. "I'd suggest Cat Grant, but that name's already taken, so I think you win!"

"That's the name! Win for Winn!"

Alex approached the hysterically chortling duo and shook her head at them in disapproval. "What are you, ten?"

"Yes! Ten per ten!" Kara instantly replied and Winn burst into a laugh. They exchanged a high five and Alex walked away from them, muttering not so nice words under her breath.

"I must say, your sister is so intimidating. I don't know how you can even joke around with her." Winn said.

Kara was well familiar with her sister's first impressions on people. She nodded and tried to reassure Winn that she wasn't all this scary FBI agent. "Just give her some time. When you get to know her, she's not so Rexy, she'll be more Roxana."

The two started giggling again, but quickly composed themselves when someone else came towards them.

"Miss Danvers, my name is John Jones. The Director of the park." The man introduced himself.

Kara shook his offered hand. "Nice meeting you Director Jones."

"Would you mind answering a few questions about Maxwell Lord?"

"Of course."

Kara followed the tall, dark-skinned man into a conference room where she saw two women sitting at the top of the long table, waiting for her. One was older looking with her bright hair pulled into a tight bun, the other was around the same age she was with her long dark her tied into a ponytail. Lillian and Lena Luthor. Kara recognized them. They questioned her about every little detail she knew on Maxwell Lord. It didn't past her unnoticed how Lillian wrinkled her nose at finding out she was a reporter. She had good reasons. Media was what put Lex Luthor, her beloved firstborn, in prison.

The question that was left unasked though, was if Kara was going to write about what she had seen and heard in that lab. A question she knew would come up soon. Nothing would look good for the L-Corp if the news about their collaboration with the military were to break out. For Kara the answer was clear. As a reporter, it was her duty to write the truth.

When she finally left the room in a heavy air, Alex was hanging by the door. The frown on her face told Kara something serious was on her mind. They walked a few paces away from the conference room until she spoke up.

"Mike is awake."

"He is?" Kara instantly brightened up. "But why are you so grumpy? Don't tell me you tried to kill him, Alex!"

"No, we have bigger problems now."

"What do you mean?"

Alex stopped walking unexpectedly at the interception of two hallways and turned into the second one. She pushed open the door to the ladies room there and pulled Kara in with herself. They seemed to be the only ones there, but Alex started checking the open bottom of the stalls to see if anyone was by chance peeing. Only after she seemed satisfied with their privacy, she started talking again, this time in much lower voice. Her behavior was completely freaking Kara out.

"There's a staircase at the end of this corridor. Meet me in the closet room at the bottom of the stairs in two hours. Tell Winn and Mike if he can come too, but no one else. And don't come together. Come alone each with at least fifteen minutes apart."

Alex walked out of the restroom and left Kara in total bewilderment.


	9. Chapter 9: Law of the Jurassic World

**Chapter 9: Law of the Jurassic World**

Kara found Mike in the infirmary, sitting in his bed and talking to Winn. At least she didn't have to look for Winn and fill him in separately anymore.

"Kara!" Mike greeted her with a shy smile. He looked rested and not so pale anymore.

"Heyyy" Kara stretched the letter Y too long, suddenly blanking out on why she had even come down there to say when she remembered their kiss again. "A- Are you okay?" She stammered.

"Yeah, I feel much better. How about you?"

"I'm- I'm fine." Kara fiddled with her glasses.

"I should probably let you two talk." Winn tried to leave, but Kara stopped him.

"No, there's something I need to tell you both." Kara looked around quickly to see if anyone else was there beside the still hidden and unconscious Maxwell Lord.

"Ehm, okay…" Winn sat back on the stool and both boys stared at her curiously.

"I think Alex has found something she shouldn't have. She wants us to meet her downstairs in two hours."

Kara continued to tell them the details of the place of the meeting in a quiet voice and asked – specifically Winn – not to act weird about this. Winn soon had to leave when his short break was over and once more Kara got to be alone with Mike.

Kara sat on the stool Winn had left empty, facing Mike. "So, um, you were- you were pretty hammered."

"Yeah, I was." Mike chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "What did I miss?"

Kara's heart instantly began palpitating. "Oh, not much, what do you remember?" She almost choked on her own inhale.

"Well, I'm not sure if it was a fever dream, but I were we talking earlier?…" His brows knitted together worriedly.

"Yeah, that happened." Kara was literally twitching in her seat, in anticipation. The expression on her face must have made alarmed Mike since his eyes widened in dread.

"Oh no! What did I do? "

Kara looked deep into his insecure wide eyes. He really didn't remember.

"Nothing." She finally said, and decided to completely relieve him of his worry by adding, "You were just drooling!" Kara chuckled as she animatedly tried to show Mike how he supposedly had drooled.

"Oh, that's bad." He covered his mouth in embarrassment.

"Yeah, you were drooling all over yourself!" Kara laughed it off, secretly feeling disappointed. "Ok, so you get some rest and come to the secret meeting at 2:45 if you're allowed to leave." Kara had dropped the volume of her voice considerably saying the last part.

"Okay. See you later then Kara."

Kara nodded at him and decided to leave before she changed her mind about telling him the truth.

* * *

Two and half hours later, Kara slipped into the dark closet room anxiously. "Alex?" She dared to call her out loud.

"Here." Alex' voice came from a corner following by a flashlight that blinded her.

"Would you point that another way?" Kara blinked many times to get rid of the afterimage staining her vision in the shape of a solid circle.

"Hi."

Kara heard Winn greeting her.

"Hi, did Mike get here?" Kara asked, joining the others standing. Their faces appeared creepy with only the flashlight radiating upwards.

"Not yet. We wait a few more minutes." Alex claimed.

When they were almost convinced Mike wouldn't show up, the door cracked open and Mike walked in wearing a pair of grey sweatpants and a matching hoody.

Alex pinned him with her flashlight just as she had done with Kara. "Owie!" He voiced his discomfort and raised his hand to block the piercing beam. Apparently, this was Alex's unpleasant way to check their faces.

"Ok Alex, tell us." Kara said as soon as Mike came to stand next to her. They all stared at Alex intently.

"I think none of us are supposed to leave this island, not alive anyway."

"What do you mean?" Kara swallowed hard.

"The Luthors, they've deliberately messed with communication and transport. This isn't normal. We should have been off the island yesterday."

"But you said a storm is coming."

"Not until tomorrow! We could have been back to the coast before it even reached here!"

"How do you know?" Mike questioned.

"I know how these things work! Even satellite communication is blocked and that has nothing to do with the Park's system failure, nor the storm!"

"They want to kill us?!" Winn gasped loudly and they all shushed him. "They want to kill us?!" He repeated quietly in a squeak.

"Or let Rexy do the job." Alex didn't even try to sugar-coat it for Winn's sake.

"We know about their secrets." Kara guessed insightfully.

"But I signed an NDA!" Winn argued.

"Like that's ever stopped them before." Alex shook her head. "And you're a reporter. Their worst enemy." Alex continued in forlorn, addressing Kara. "As of now, you're not leaving my side anymore." She pulled Kara's hand and yanked her towards herself so fast that Kara yelped. Now there was a considerable gap between them and the boys.

Alex flashed her light right into the two men's eyes, forcing them to cover their eyes. "I don't trust anyone here, but you two have proved yourself clean so far! I'll be watching, if I catch you doing anything shady, I will kill you." They couldn't see, but they clearly heard a gun getting cocked.

"Ehm, Okay." Mike agreed a little disheartened.

"Okay." Winn squealed.

"Alright, now we need to form a plan." Alex said nonchalantly as though threatening anyone with her gun was the normal part of her everyday conversations. Maybe it was.

"Winn, you keep checking the system and let us know if you can crack the block on communication or find any useful information."

Winn nodded curtly.

"Mike, you keep an eye on the three guards working on the second floor, see if you can find out what's going on with the park. Tell me if they are doing anything they shouldn't."

He nodded as well.

"And I will watch Luthors and Jones."

"What about me?" Kara asked when Alex didn't say anything about her task.

"You stay out of trouble, and alive."

"Oh, come on! I have reporter's skills!"

"You can't even lie!"

"Yes, I can! I can be sneaky when I want to be!"

"Definitely NOT. End of discussion!"

Kara huffed in frustration but didn't argue because she knew she wouldn't be able to change her sister's mind.

One by one they left the room with slumped shoulders and heavy hearts. It was bad enough to be stranded on an island full of starved dinosaurs, now they had made it to the Luthors list of enemies. Between a rock and a hard place. Still not deep enough to cover the gravity of their situation.

The moment Kara and Alex got to be alone, Kara scolded Alex for threatening Mike and Winn.

"Alex! Why did you do that? They're our friends!"

"You're thinking with your feelings, Kara. This is a jungle and you can't survive in a jungle by letting your guard down. Not even around people who may feel like allies. Jungle's rules. You have to show them your teeth or they'd think you have none."

"I'm pretty sure everyone knows you have teeth." Kara muttered under her breath and Alex rolled her eyes. She was glad she hadn't told her sister about the kiss, otherwise, she would have been accused of sleeping with the enemy.

"Look, this is my job and I know how to do it. So please listen to me here." Alex ended the discussion and they went to spend the rest of the day watching their backs and keep an eye on the Luthors.

The next time they met again, was a few hours after sunset when they all went to the small cafeteria to get a bite to eat. They weren't alone, however, with Barry and Eve sitting at the only table there. The two young scientists both looked rather grim and quiet, chewing on the cold chicken wraps, the only food available.

After a brief greeting, everyone kept munching on their bland sandwiches in an awkward silence. Kara noticed how Winn kept stealing glances at Eve and remembered just before Rexy showed up, he was telling Mike something about meeting Eve. Love blossoms in most unthinkable situations.

Kara believed Barry and Eve could be trusted too, despite their involvement with Lothors' secret project. Yet Alex had refused to take the risk and telling them.

Midway into their supper, someone walked in. A young woman Kara recognized as their nurse and doctor. She seemed to be the only one with medical expertise around this place. As soon as she took a place at the table to join the mute group, Kara saw Barry's eyes sparkling.

"Dr. Snow! Hi!" Barry stammered lightly, fidgeting with his glasses.

"Oh, hello Dr. Allen." The cute brunet replied with a polite smile.

"It's B- Barry, please." His ears turned red as he offered his hand.

She shook Barry's hand gently, though not giving her first name in return. Dr. Snow looked around the table, spotting her previous patients among others. "I trust you all are feeling good?"

They all nodded and hummed in approval.

"Is Maxwell Lord doing better?" Kara asked, curious about how terrible his condition was. No one could tell her what had really happened to him.

"I'm not supposed to discuss my patients, but all I can say is that he's stable." Dr. Snow replied.

Another uncomfortable silence fell over the table. It was getting ridiculous with both Barry and Winn literally making the hearteyes emoji with their face and their special someone's completely oblivious. Kara looked at Mike sitting on Alex' left side in front of her, half expecting to catch him staring at her in the same way, but he was just poking at a days old piece of tomato with his plastic fork.

"Agent Danvers, is there any news when we can leave the island?" Eve asked Alex.

Alex answered negatively. Clearly not willing to speak more than a few syllables. Kara hated her Jungle analogy.

"How about we go around the table and introduce ourselves? We might have to be around each other for a few days and it'll make it easier if we get to know each other a little better." Kara said out loud to everyone at the table.

Alex kicked Kara under the table. It proved to be an effort to not gasp loud at the pain in her left shin. She glared at Alex bitterly.

Barry was the first person to support her. "Yeah, that's actually a very good idea!" He looked very eager and when no one seemed to want to speak up, he continued. "Ok, I can go first! I'm Barry Allen. I went to med school like my dad at CCU in Central City, but decided I like to study Neurobiology better. I finished my Ph.D. dissertation last year and was offered a grant by Lena Luthor here."

Most everyone hummed or nodded in acknowledgment. Barry looked at Eve next to himself, encouraging her to be the next person.

"Eh, I'm Eve Tessmacher. I am working on my joined Ph.D. thesis on Nanophysics and Biophysics for NCU and Lena Luthor reached out to me and supported my research. I accepted her offer and here I am."

"NCU? Oh wow! You're from National City? What a coincidence! I'm from National City. I went to NCU too!" Kara exclaimed and got another kick from Alex, nevertheless continued, "I'm Kara Danvers, I'm a reporter at CatCo Worldwide Media. I was sent here to write an article about the Park and was interviewing Mike when this happened."

Some expressed their empathy by shaking their heads or muttering a word. Since Mike's name had been mentioned, it made him the next person to talk by an unannounced agreement.

"Hey, I'm Mike. I'm a trainer here and that's all, I guess. Not much to say." He went back to his tomato again very quickly. Kara frowned at him. Why was he suddenly so shy and cryptic? She couldn't help but remember the things Max Lord had said about him serving in the Navy and turning his back on his family. He was much more than what he let on.

Winn who had been sitting next to Kara, waved a hand to attract their attention.

"Hi, I'm Winn Schott. I work as a system support here and monitoring. Well, I'm not sure if I'll be doing much more of that since-" He suddenly gasped and Kara realized he has got a kick from Alex as well.

When no one volunteered to be the next, Dr. Snow took the turn. "Well, I think there's not much for me to introduce myself since you all know what I do. I'm Caitlin Snow, I work in the infirmary of the Park every few months per year. We rarely had incidents until now." She noted thoughtfully and as though remembering something, she looked at Alex and Kara.

"I don't mean to intrude, but are you by any chance related, since you're last names are the same?"

"Yes, we're sisters." Alex surprised Kara by finally saying something. She couldn't back down now. "I'm Alex Danvers. I'm an FBI agent. I came here to help the investigation."

"Aw, you came to rescue your sister?" Barry interjected in a sweet voice and Alex sent him a serious glare which made him shrink back.

"Yes, I did. No one messes with the Danvers and walks away." Alex claimed mater-of-fact-ly and the air around them dropped to chilling temperatures. Kara sensed Alex was going to "show her teeth" again and decided to interject before that happened.

"Yeah, Alex always' got my back like that. You can imagine none of the boys in our high school dared to ask me out." Kara vengefully stabbed the old creased lettuce wrap in her disposable dish which had fallen out of her wrap. "They all feared her famous shovel talk!"

That fortunately, made the ice break.

Winn giggled. "I bet Alex didn't leave anything for your dad to say!"

Alex remained silent with her hands folded over her chest, reluctance pouring out of her expression and posture.

Kara ducked her head, blaming herself for where the conversation had ended up. "Not really, cause he wasn't around by then. He passed away in an accident."

Some words of condolences were uttered. And the table fell quiet again, this time not so tense, was rather sad.

"My dad is in prison." Winn suddenly said, gaining attention from everyone.

"Why?" Kara gawked at him.

Winn avoided their looks, clearly regretting this revelation. Kara couldn't help but think he had said that to sort of making up for his mistake and redirect the conversation from people asking Kara and Alex about their father. Adoptive father in Kara's case. She couldn't bring herself to reveal that the Danvers had taken her in after her parents died in a car crash when she was only 12, and furthermore, she loved Jeremiah just like her own father.

"He lost his mind and tried to kill some people he believed had ruined his life." Winn mumbled.

"My dad was in prison too. He got out in January though." Barry abruptly claimed and everyone snapped their heads to gape at him, as though watching a ping pong match.

"What for?" Caitlin asked this time.

"For a crime he didn't do. I helped to exonerate him."

A heavy silence fell over the table as no one was bold enough to press Winn or Barry for any details. That was some introduction talk they had there.

As predicted, Alex gave Kara a talk of her own for what she did back there before they went to sleep in their cots on not speaking terms.

Apart from Mike whom Dr. Snow had prescribed to stay in the infirmary for one more night, the rest had been given cots in the few office rooms in the HQ building. The sisters and Eve in one room, Barry and Winn in another on the same floor.

The office the girls had been given was spacious with the Parks posters hanging on the walls and two abandoned desks filled with unfinished paper works. The desks had been moved to a side to make room for the three cots. Two parallel to each other and the third one perpendicular to them.

Alex chose for Kara to sleep in the bed next to hers and on the farthest from the door, and Kara saw her hiding her colt under her pillow before closing her eyes.

* * *

The next morning started completely normal and with zero suspicious activities. Unlike the days before, the sky was grey and the heavy rain pouring down. A clear sign of the storm and it gave them a sense of forebode. Making them feel like trapped victims, kipping them on their toes, causing their skin to crawl and their anticipation growing. That became intensified when around noon, Mike and Winn were both called into the Luthors' throne room – the name they had given to the conference room where the Luthors had been occupying most of the day.

Mike made a brief eye contact with Kara as he walked past her on his way, along with a fidgeting and sweating Winn. They hadn't talk anymore since last night. Alex has warned them against talking for more than a few words to prevent raising any suspicions.

After a few minutes, both men returned, looking unharmed. Kara wished she could run to them and drill them with questions to find out what had happened, but she stopped herself from doing so. An hour later Kara watched in astonishment as Mike reappeared, dressed back in his ranger gears, plus a dark jean waistcoat, as though going into his work.

The deep frown between his brows told Kara how conflicted and troubled he was about this. Whatever it was. Her confusion grew even bigger when she saw Winn walking by his side, wearing clothes similar to Mike's. Suitable for travel. They were both carrying hiker backpacks.

"What's going on? Where are you going?" Kara couldn't help herself and asked them as soon as they came near where she had been standing, by a desk Alex had figuratively cuffed her.

"We were ordered to get to the lab Max Lord raided and try to repair the system from there. Apparently even after Winn has formatted it, it's still not rebooting as it should. They've diagnosed the problem is from where it has started." Mike answered in a flat tone, avoiding her heavy and worried stare.

"You're going back out there?!"

"Yes."

"And Winn too?" Kara asked the obvious, feeling very concerned for Winn. Only imagining what they might get into out there, made her stomach churning. At least Mike had experience, but Winn? No wonder the poor guy looked pale.

"Can't you refuse?" Kara lowered her voice considerably.

"No." Mike simply said and started walking away. Kara abandoned Alex' rule number one and followed them into the hallway and down the staircase.

"Why? Can't you- I don't know, make up an excuse?" Kara argued in a much lower tone, afraid to be heard.

"No, Winn thinks there's actually a chance we can turn the system back on from there. We're gonna do it." Mike explained in an equally quiet voice and Winn nodded in confirmation. Kara couldn't think of anything else to change their minds and simply tagged along.

Much to Alex' objections, Kara accompanied them to the exit gate at the high fences under the heavy tropical rain. She was taking it hard, not seeing Mike around anymore. He had been there by her side, a constant, right from the start of all this, and his absence was going to give Kara more anxiety than she already had.

She knew this was all Luthors' doing. They were separating them and weakening them by sending Mike and Winn on this mission. One they hoped they wouldn't come back from.

"M- Mike!" Kara called him in a shaky voice as the droplets of water rapidly fell on her. Soaking her through, but she didn't care. She feared this was the last time she was going to see him alive.

"Kara." He turned to her immediately with soft eyes.

On his face, Kara saw a very different expression from before and yet very familiar at the same time. She knew why. This was the way he had looked at her when he was high on those painkillers. When he had kissed her.

The guard by the gate looked grumpy and impatient for them to get through sooner, so he could bolt it again.

"Be careful." Kara told him, her voice cracking.

"Always am." Mike said confidently as he came to stand closer to her with his hair already wet and glistening. His face was so close, Kara could easily see the freckles where his skin wasn't hidden under the beard. A result of working so many hours under the sun. His beard had grown over the past few days without him having any time or means to shave. It looked really good on him, Kara thought. She kind of liked it. Kara wanted to touch his face, to find out how it felt under her touch. Not that she did with all the eyes around them.

"Respectfully disagree." She finally said.

The corners of Mike's lips lifted upwards into a smile, one that made Kara's heart clench tightly thinking she might never see this smile again.

Without reflecting on her actions, Kara pulled Mike into a hug and pressed her head to his damp shoulder blade. "Promise me you'll come back!" The hushed words escaped her lips unwantedly. She prayed the rattling of rain against the metal would hide her voice from other ears.

He held her a little tighter before pulling back, not entirely out of her arms or his. Just enough so he could gaze upon her face. Even though it had been only a few minutes, the tropical rain had completely soaked them both by then. Kara's breath got hitched in her throat when Mike's hand touched the side of her face. His eyes locked onto hers, dilated and filled with intense emotion.

"I promise." He whispered sealed the oath. His head suddenly tipped forward and his lips brushed against her slick cheek, on the side his hand wasn't covering. "Stay safe." He murmured into her ear before retracting and leaving her rooted to the ground.

Kara watched the gates closing behind Mike and Winn and tried her best to rein in her emotions and no to let the tears fall from her eyes.


	10. Chapter 10: Human Vs Predator

**Chapter WARNING: Dinosaur violence!**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Human Vs. Predator**

The day went on with absolutely nothing happening except the rain kept pouring down with no intention to stop. Alex told Kara that Mike and Winn both had radios on themselves, but only Director Jones was allowed to communicate with them. Kara tried to think positively about it. Mike was a fighter, if anyone could come through this alive and keep Winn safe, it would be him.

When the night fell, they went through the same routine from last night. Cold supper, this time in complete silence and then going to their beds. After tossing and turning with a disturbed mind, Kara finally fell asleep praying Mike and Winn were both okay.

It felt mere seconds afterward when a loud alarm jerked her awake. Rubbing her eyes groggily, Kara blinked and squinted in the darkness for the source of noise with a racing heart.

"What is that?!"

"It's the fire alarm." Kara heard Alex replying and made out her silhouette peeking through the wide window of the office into the hallway. Eve was also awake, though didn't speak.

"Okay, Kara I'm going to check what's going on. You lock the door behind me and do not open it to anyone but me. Got it?" Alex ordered and she nodded in return.

After following Alex's words, Kara attempted to switch on the lights in order to lighten up the room since they weren't going to sleep with the constant shriek of alarm and it felt stupid to wait in the dark. The switch didn't work, however. The power was out.

Despite the lack of light in the room, Kara felt Eve's heavy gaze on herself and her radiating anxiety. Kara wished she could tell her about their suspicions. She trusted Eve.

"I- I'm sure it's just another glitch." She suggested with a nervous chuckle to cover her own wrecked nerves.

"I don't think it's a glitch." Eve deadpanned, taking Kara by surprise.

"You don't?"

"No. If the alarms are working then how can the power be out?" Eve paused before continuing with her observation. "You know this is not normal. This park has been designed specifically against such accidents. Sure Maxwell Lord's manipulation damaged the system, but the communication shouldn't be disabled. The National Guard should have reached us two days ago. It's not like we are that far off the coast." Smart Eve, she already had a sense what was going on.

"It is strange." Kara agreed while battling with herself over whether she should share what they believed was going on and in the end decided against it. There was no point in giving Eve more reasons to be afraid. Therefore she played ignorant. "I just hope we all get out of here in one piece."

"I hope so too." Eve sighed.

There wasn't any other chance to talk when someone tried to open the door by twisting the doorknob and failed as the door was still locked and instead raped the door urgently.

"Ma'am? You need to leave the room right now. We are evacuating!" A male voice claimed gravely.

Kara went to open the door in haste, but stopped short with her hand on the handle when she remembered Alex's warning. Kara decided to stall.

"What's going on? Why are we evacuating?"

"There's been an accident. It's dangerous for you to stay on this floor."

Kara frowned at the closed door. What kind of excuse was that?

"I don't understand Sir. What kind of accident?"

"Please ma'am! It's not safe for you in there! Please open the door!"

Kara refused to do that and wished for Alex to show up sooner. She yelped and jumped backwards when the man banged the door harder repeatedly and called for her to open the door.

Suddenly the banging stopped and a few gunshots with shouts were heard instead. The man cried in immense pain and fell silent instantly following a loud sickening snap. Eve came to stand next to Kara as the two backed away until their backs hit the opposite wall and waited anxiously. They sought each other's hands to hold in fear as a shudder ran through their bodies.

The two screamed when the office window shattered to pieces and a giant dinosaur head entered through. Kara saw the dark liquid dripping from its teeth onto the shards of glass. She didn't need any light to know it was blood. That guards blood.

Kara grabbed a chair and pointed its legs to the monster's head with shaking hands. She already knew a chair wouldn't stop what was about to happen, but she wasn't going to go down without a fight. Eve, on the other hand, was completely frozen. Kara doubted she was even breathing. If they were more aware of their surroundings, they would have noticed that the alarms had turned off, casting silence over the scene.

The fearsome lizard-ish head on the long neck stretched forward as its eerily white eyes glistened savagely with their scent. It inhaled soundly the smell of more fresh meat and growled triumphantly. Kara saw its unusually long hook-shaped claws scratching and ripping the wall as though it was made of cardboard. Even in the dark, and under the fog of terror that had clouded her mind, Kara still sensed that there was something really off about this dinosaur. It didn't look like any species she had seen before.

The chair turned into a pile of toothpicks by a single swing of its claw and grazed Kara on the shoulder in the process. There was nowhere else to run to. Kara put herself in front of Eve and stopped thinking altogether. The dinosaur lifted its other deathly talon, about to slash her. Kara took in one last breath and braced herself.

Multiple gunshots rang in the air and the freaky dinosaur snapped its head angrily towards the invaders. It shrieked in pain and forgot about its scared to death preys. To their disbelief, the dinosaur retreated and changed its mind about eating them as it fled the scene.

Alex jumped over the ruined window and into the room accompanied by three other guards. "Kara?!" She called terrified, her voice trembling.

"I- I'm okay." Kara replied in an equally uneven voice and almost collapsed in Alex's arms when they wrapped around her.

"Oh thank God!" Alex hugged her so tight that the little oxygen left in Kara's lungs were knocked out, yet she didn't complain. Never in her life had she felt this relieved in her sister's arms.

"Eve?!" Alex called the horrified girl standing behind Kara with worry. Soon Eve joined their hug and the sister hug turned into a group hug.

The power came back on after a few minutes and once again Kara was in the infirmary, this time to get stitches for the deep cut on her shoulder. It stung really badly. Alex never left her side and kept blaming herself for leaving when the alarm went off.

"Alex it's fine. If you hadn't gone, you wouldn't have even known about the dinosaur to get that gun." Kara pointed at the rifle Alex had been holding ever since and tried to convince her that she had actually saved them by leaving the room.

Alex told them that when she left, she saw the few guards were running around, getting the special sedative guns according to director Jones' commands and found out that there had been a breach into the building and a dinosaur had been spotted inside the building by the trail of two bodies. Alex had argued they should use real guns, but the director was under orders not to hurt any of these extravagant animals.

Kara felt guilty. She couldn't stop wondering whether that guard would still be alive if she had opened the door.

"Maybe you're right." Alex sighed wearily in defeat and sat on the edge of the bed where Kara was being treated on.

"Wow, it takes a dinosaur to finally hear you admit I'm right about something!" Kara feigned surprise.

"Shut up." Alex smirked and slapped her good shoulder lightly.

Dr. Snow put a clean gauze on Kara's injury and claimed she was done and they could leave. She then left them to check on Maxwell Lord who had woken up at last after the mayhem. The curtains around his bed were yet hiding him from prying eyes. Kara heard his whimpers. He was in a lot of pain and in no shape to get back onto his feet. Rexy had done a number on him.

Kara scanned her surrounding to see if anyone was listening and leaned towards Alex when she was sure. "Eve knows." She whispered.

Alex frowned at her. "Knows what?"

Kara rolled her eyes. "She knows this is all a setup. We should tell her. I trust her."

Alex didn't answer her right away and gave it a thought, biting her lip. "Okay." She nodded to Kara's astonishment. That Dinosaur had really brought things into perspective for Alex, no kidding. Speaking of that dinosaur, Kara remembered its unfamiliar shape once again.

"Alex that dinosaur, did you get it?"

Alex shook her head. "No, we shot it like ten tranquilizers and it didn't even flinch!" Alex dropped her voice considerably. "Don't tell Jones, but I actually used my own 44 Magnum on it and got it in the leg. That was when it finally reacted. I was losing my mind. What if I was late and –"

"But you didn't! Stop thinking that!" Kara pulled Alex into a hug.

Eve walked inside the infirmary at that moment. She still looked rather pale and shaken. Who could blame her? She nodded at them both and looked at Kara with a strange look on her face.

"Kara, I just wanted to thank you for saving my life."

"What, me? I didn't do anything. Alex was the one who shot the dinosaur."

"No, you – you put yourself between me and that thing." Eve looked at her in awe. "You were willing to give your life to protect me and I'm forever in your debt."

Kara adjusted her glasses and her cheeks blushed as she was completely flattered. "Oh, don't mention it. You don't owe me anything."

Kara turned to Alex and they shared a meaningful look. It was time to tell Eve about their plan.

* * *

Mike and Winn got off the car they had been given very shortly after they had started their journey, because the handle showed the car was out of gas which was strange since Mike had checked the level prior to igniting the car. He slid under the car to search what the problem was. They had given them a tempered car. The short slim pipe connecting the fuel tank to the engine had been cut and thus all the gas had leaked out on the road in a matter of minutes. Very classy. Perfect to make their already dangerous mission even harder.

The two hiked the hill Mike knew would take them to the Predators Zone under heavy rain. They were soaked through and the fog around them didn't help. A part of Mike thought this weather should keep the animals inside their dens and another part – the louder one – kept warning him how starved animals couldn't care less about the bad weather.

Both of them tried contacting the HQ many times, but no one was on the other line. Mike saw a few antennas which were essential to help the transmission in the park, being sabotaged and wondered if this was another trick by Luthors, or the radios had been taken down for real because of dinosaurs.

To their biggest relief, Rexy never showed up. Maybe she wasn't hungry after hunting so many other people and smaller dinosaurs. As a proof along their way, Mike spotted many killed dinosaurs. He felt truly devastated seeing how the weaker ones had fallen prey to the predators. They didn't deserve this. They were supposed to have long peaceful lives in the park, not being slaughtered and perished. It genuinely hurt him being powerless over these great losses. The only thing they could do, was to put an end to it by turning back on the system and close the gates and bring back order.

They found their way into the thicker area of the zone and caution became an indispensable as Mike found fresh footprints in the mud. He listened intently for any sound that could guide him where the gluttonous Dinosaur was residing. Maybe he was watching them, waiting for the right moment to strike. Mike took the lead and with a ready gun, stepped a few paces forward as he signed Winn to follow him.

The bushes jerked away harshly as tall dinosaur jumped out with its jaws wide open, ready to bit off his head. Mike dived to a side and shot three tranquilizers into its side. The dinosaur dropped immobilized. Only then Mike had time to see which species it was. The small size and the bright red patterns over its yellowish- green body told him it was a Coelophysis. They weren't that big. Smaller than an adult human, but they were fast and benefited from sharp teeth.

"Dude! That was some classic Max Payne move right there!" Winn cheered in awe and Mike chuckled with the shake of his head. Typical Winn with his video game knowledge.

"Is that a Coelophysoid?" Winn asked nervously, wiping away the water from his face. He moved towards Mike and on his next step something crunched under his foot. He immediately moved back to see what had he stamped on.

Mike started to answer him, but turned white as a sheet. "Winn, don't move!"

Winn froze with one foot in the air and made a squeaky noise. He was one foot into a nest with four big eggs and behind him, Mike saw the Coelophysoid mother Dinosaur eyeing him with mad eyes.

"DUCK!" Mike shouted when the dinosaur surged forward to kill, approaching dangerously fast. Winn dropped himself with his hands over his head and shouted when the dinosaur toppled over him. Mike barely had time to shoot at the protective mother, but he got her in the neck.

Winn was still shouting when Mike got to him and pushed away the unconscious female heavy dinosaur.

"Winn! Are you okay?"

"Am I okay?" Winn croaked as he rose to his feet with Mike's help, shaking from head to toe.

Mike scanned him for injuries and thankfully found none. He nodded and patted Winn on the back firmly. "Yeah, I think you're okay."

He then turned around to inspect the nest. The eggs were unharmed. Winn had walked on broken eggshells. "How is this possible? They explicitly told me no reproductions happen naturally!" Mike couldn't believe his eyes. Although he was bitter with the betrayal, it didn't deter the marvel he felt in seeing dinosaur eggs in a natural environment. He then felt worried about leaving the eggs unprotected with their parents incapacitated. Seeing the broken eggshells again, Mike looked around to find the hatchling, but it was nowhere to be found. Had it fallen preyed on?

"Hey, what are you doing?" Winn asked when Mike put down his backpack and took out a blanket.

"We can't leave them here. Some dinosaurs eat unhatched eggs." Mike explained as he wrapped the eggs in the blanket.

"So what?! Some others eat us too!"

Mike frowned at Winn. His fear had made his brute survival instincts to kick in and putting his safety above other things. "You don't understand Winn! These are true Dinosaur eggs! They aren't artificial lab embryos! We can't just leave them here! I can't!"

Mike wrapped the eggs securely in the blanket and tucked them in his bag, covering them with other things to stop them from getting wetter than they were.

"Come on, let's move." He nodded at a not so happy looking Winn and they resumed their track.

They made it to where Max Lord had been keeping Mike and Kara a few hours later without any more accidents. The door had been left open and despite knowing no one was around, Mike had reservations about stepping inside. You never knew what could show up in this place, yet the stubborn rain with wind and the growing darkness forced them to take refuge.

Mike checked every room fast. Apart from three small Compsognathus and one Microraptor that looked a lot like falcons, No one and nothing was inside. Sadly Ace had disappeared as well. The sedatives must have worn off. Mike could only hope he was okay. Raptors were intelligent. Maybe he had found his brothers, his pack. Mike couldn't bring himself to throw out the harmless, little animals and assured Winn that they were harmless.

Mike shut the door behind them and blocked it with some chairs since the lock on it was broken.

Winn unpacked his laptop and started working immediately. While he was busy with wiring and typing, Mike decided to check on the eggs. He was fascinated and enraptured by them. Sure he had seen a dinosaur hatch in the labs dozens of times – including every single his Lost Boys – but this was something else. This felt real. He only hoped the warmth from the blanket could keep them healthy until he could return them to their parents.

They soon realized there was no power in the small building. The central electricity current wasn't working for some reason and therefore Winn couldn't do anything. Mike looked around for a solution. He found a diesel generator in a corner and wheeled it outside to the small generator room located on the south-facing side. The night was falling and the twilight was getting dimmer by the minute.

Mike wiped the water out of his eyes and reached for a wrench to unscrew the thick cords that connected the lab to the central grid and plugged in the generator's cords instead. It didn't take long until he found out there was no gas in the generator. Another problem. Fantastic. He shouldn't have expected their luck to turn so soon.

Cursing under his breath, Mike searched around the musty smelling place with his flashlight and noticed some containers by the wall and checked them one by one. He shouted in victory when he found what he was looking for. A jerry can.

He rushed back to the generator and poured in the liquid. The loud humming sound of the machine working was music to his ears. He had to wait a few minutes until the capacitors were charged enough and the current came on.

Unexpectedly two hands locked around Mike's neck in an iron grip, pushing down on his windpipe. Mike gaged and kicked against the hands strangling him. Remembering his training from the navy, Mike used his forearms to hit the attacker's elbows with a fast blow and freed himself.

Staggering backward, Mike saw a tall topless man with a bruised face. It was Maxwell Lord's mercenary. The one Alex had knocked out. He was alive and back to take his revenge. Exactly what he needed right now, between the Luthors throwing rocks at them and hungry dinosaurs waiting for the right moment. This was the icing on the cake.

Mike got into his fighting stance, raised fists and crouched back. The guy started the fight, Mike pulled away so his punch missed his face. They exchanged some bellows and Mike seemed to be faster than his already tired opponent. Their brawl pulled them outside under the pouring. Mike kicked him in the back of knees and he groaned as he dropped down. But Mike had underestimated the bulky man's speed when his own feet were swiped from under him and his back hit the ground with a splash. The bully straddled Mike and locked his hands around his neck again. His vision started to dim. He didn't want to die. He couldn't break his promise to Kara.

His will gave him enough power to hit the man hard in the face by smacking the under of his jaw and he fell back as he yelped. Mike took out his knife from its sheath fixed on the side of his calf and pointed it at his attacker threateningly. However, his heart dropped when he found himself at the point of a gun. Who can win against a gun with a knife?

He heard the gun getting cocked and expected it to go off instantly, yet instead of a bang, he heard a savage growl and something blurry smashed into Mike's grim ripper like a racing car. A powerful set of jaws vengefully bit the gun holding hand, almost ripping it off.

"ACE!" Mike gasped loudly as the faithful Raptor took another bite at the man who had been trying to harm his master. Mike felt dizzy at the sight of so much blood mixing with rain.

"ACE STOP!" He ordered the mad Raptor, but he wouldn't obey, too occupied with his kill.

It was too late. The man's agonizing shrieks ended moments later. Mike felt sick. He couldn't even move from his knelt down position. Too appalled.

The Raptor then turned to him, pinning him with his intense stare. For the first time ever, Mike felt scared of the Raptor. Had nature finally won over nurture?


	11. Chapter 11: Ace of Spades

**Chapter 11: Ace of Spades**

Knelt down, Mike tried to control his breathing and kept eye contact with Ace. It was a dominance fight between them and he knew he shouldn't blink. The Raptor approached him slowly, his eyes fixed and unblinking just like his master's. Mike gradually stretched his hand up in a familiar sign that calmed the Raptors.

"That's it, buddy. Easy…" Mike whispered as the Raptor came closer. His hand was only inches away from Ace's head when someone's voice broke their bonding.

"Mike?" Winn called loudly.

He must have been gone for too long and had gotten Winn worried.

"Winn don't come any closer!" Mike shouted when Ace broke their eye contact and hissed at Winn standing six meters away. The poor tech genius froze dreadfully at the sight. "Oh my God!"

Mike used the animal's momentary distraction to get back to his feet and changed his position from being so vulnerable.

"Ace, hey, look at me." He commanded in a firm yet calm voice. "I'm right here." Mike snapped his finger and the Raptor finally took his eyes off of Winn to look at Mike.

"That's right. Just look at me." He reached for the snout once again in slow motion. "It's me, remember?" He held his palm nonthreateningly for Ace to sniff. Smelling was the Raptor's sharpest sense and Mike imagined under this pouring rain he might not look or smell as he usually appeared to them, but his smell hadn't changed and the Raptor needed to be assured that it was him.

In what felt like ages, Ace finally relented and blinked. A sign of trust. Mike touched his head and let go of the breath he had been holding. Only then he glanced over to Winn who had been standing like a statue with a pale face and open mouth.

"Hey, it's safe now. You should go back inside. I'll come in a moment."

Winn didn't need to be told twice and scurried away as soon as the words were out of Mike's mouth. He obviously had had enough of this.

To Mike's dismay, Ace didn't stand around much longer. He distanced himself from Mike and gave him one last look before running off and disappearing beyond the dark mist. The night had fallen now.

Mike stepped inside and saw the lights were back on. He found Winn working in the computers in the lab. The screen in front of him was filled with lines upon lines of undecipherable letters and numbers in small font. He was into the system.

"Mike!" Winn finally spotted his best friend. "Are you okay? What happened out there?"

Mike briefly told him about the guy and Ace, but left out the gruesome details. He then decided to rest a bit in a corner. His body begged him to end this day already. Mike saw the small dinosaurs they had company were peeking through his backpack and sniffing it. They could sense the eggs in it and Mike knew it was very possible that they would want to eat it, so he shooed them away and held his bag pressed to his chest.

They got something to eat from their backpacks, sharing it with the little hungry animals before they tried to eat their fingers and Winn went back to what he had been doing, mumbling while working tirelessly and continuously.

Exploring around, Mike found a special device in the lab he had seen before. It was designed to help to keep the embryo eggs in an appropriate temperature. He got it running and put the eggs inside it before closing the glass lid. They should now be safe in there, away from claws or teeth.

Very soon Mike had difficulty keeping his eyes open and staying vigilant. His thoughts drifted to some other place when the tension of fear finally faded away. Two bluest eyes he had ever seen, shining like comets, a bright smile and rosy cheeks. He fell asleep hoping Kara was alright.

* * *

Kara looked blankly at her coffee and grimaced against the annoying itch from her stitches, frustrated that she couldn't scratch them. She was sitting alone in the cafeteria deep in her thoughts.

The grey morning had eventually arrived without anyone being able to go back to sleep. Three guards had died and the seven remaining ones were busy taking care of their slaughtered bodies. It wasn't something Kara would have wanted to stay around to witness. What was even more worrying, was the fact that no one knew how that dinosaur had gotten inside and where had it disappeared to. There were no signs of breaking in the electrically charged fences nor the doors or windows. It all had added to Kara and Alex's suspiciousness.

Kara was extra unsettled since Alex had informed her that all the radio communications were down and they had absolutely no idea what had happened to Mike and Winn or what they were doing. The rain was harder than the previous day outside and the wind whistled throughout the building. It was almost noon and the storm was here.

Her train of thoughts broke when Alex stepped inside with Eve and Barry at her heels. The new members of their inner circle. After deciding to trust Eve, confiding in Barry didn't seem dangerous.

"Any news on Mike and Winn?" Kara asked for the fiftieth time since last night if not counting the hundredth other times since yesterday.

Alex shook her head and went to pour coffee for herself. Eve and Barry took seats in front of Kara, both looking nervous.

"So what do we do now?" Barry asked, following Alex with his eyes as she came to sit next to Kara.

Alex put her special sedating rifle – which she had been carrying around everywhere since the accident – on the table and took a long sip at her coffee before answering Barry.

"We stick together." She simply put out.

"Are you sure there isn't anything more we can do?" Eve interjected.

Alex dismissed her with the shake of her head. "At the moment, with the system down, no. I'm counting on the boys to break through…" She dropped her voice very low, forcing them all to lean forward to hear her "…Then we take one of the satellite phones and a car and we get ourselves to the coast."

Kara hadn't expected to hear Alex building her plan on Mike and Winn's success. All this time she assumed Alex didn't care about anyone's survival but them. "D- Do you think they have a chance?" Kara asked before she could stop herself. "Mike and Winn, I mean? Do you think they will do it?" She added hurriedly.

"Yeah, I do." Alex nodded and continued. "That Matthews actually knows how to live in the jungle. He proved it before, so …" Kara wanted to bang her head against the table at hearing that jungle thing again, but instead rolled her eyes. "… my money is on them doing their part."

Kara nodded at her sister and turned her eyes back to her untouched coffee on the table. For some reason, she had absolutely no appetite and she didn't think it was due to the horrible event from last night. She felt a little dizzy and nauseated, but had decided against sharing that fact with Alex or even Dr. Snow. She assumed it would wear off soon, but it was getting worse.

A drop of crimson liquid next to the cup surprised Kara. She leaned forward to inspect it and a second drop joined the first one.

"Oh!" Kara covered her nose immediately and tilted her head back. That was just great. Nothing more than the sight of her own blood made her sick.

"Kara!" Alex called in alarm and tried to see what was happening with her.

"It's ok Alex. Just a nosebleed."

Kara accepted the bunch of tissues Eve handed her and pressed them over her nose.

"Come on. Let's take you back to Caitlin." Alex grabbed Kara's arm and tried to pull her into a standing position.

"No, Alex! It's gonna be fine! Just give me a minute." Kara protested and pulled her arm away.

"No, it won't! There's something wrong with you!"

"No, it's not!"

"SHHHH!" Barry suddenly shushed them and they turned to him in fury and became confused when they found him staring at Kara's coffee mug instead.

"What?!" The sisters asked at the same time.

"Do you see that?" Barry whispered and pointed at the mug.

They all squinted to see what he was seeing and then Kara saw the little concentric waves on the brown surface. The closed circular lines rippled and collided with the white porcelain interior and bounced back with a pause between them. Completely in sync with the quiet thumps of something in the distance.

"What is that?" Kara asked, but no one answered. Barry jumped out of his seat and went to the window. Everyone copied him.

It was heavily raining and not much could be seen from beyond the fences. That, however, didn't stop the continuously thumping that was growing louder and louder with each beat. Kara gasped loudly as she recognized the sound moments before a giant scaly head with sharp teeth emerged from the thick fog. Rexy stood behind the fences in all her glory and opened her jaws to let out a powerful roar that sent waves and shudders into their bones.

Their worst nightmare had turned real. They were all so shocked that none of them saw the appearance of a second equally huge sized dinosaur that ran into Rexy full force, smacked her with its head and threw her over the charged cords of the fences and took them down with herself. Rexy growled in pain as arcs of electricity burned her neck and retaliated instantly.

"That's a Spinosaurus!" Kara cried, recognizing the second hostile dinosaur from its giant dorsal sail and longer snout. The biggest breed of the same species that had attacked them in the control room and the dinosaur that had given Mike that nasty injury on his chest. Predictably, no one cared about her observation in the middle of all this. Briefly, Kara missed Winn because he would have shared her slight excitement in this otherwise ghastly catastrophic mess. There were no sides to take, but if Kara had to choose, she would pick Rexy. She had her reasons despite everything. That Spinosaurus had hurt Mike.

Until now, Kara had thought she had seen everything there was going through the Park, but she was so wrong. Watching a Spinosaurus fighting a Tyrannosaur Rex, that was beyond everything anyone could have ever imagined and she was witnessing it with her own eyes.

The two dinosaurs circled each other, staring back and they charged at the same time, clashing in the middle with a thunderous booming sound as they bit and tore into each other's flesh. As though to make things more dramatic, a huge lightning bolt exploded in the sky overhead. The scene was now ten times more daunting.

The humans would have stayed and watched, but things got out of control when the savage wrestling entered the HQ area and the fences found a few and Spinosaurus size holes in them.

Director Jones was barking orders and sending people around to take positions. He ordered Alex and another guard to take Kara, Barry, Eve and Dr. Snow to the basement, the safest place. Caitlin argued to take Maxwell Lord with them as well, but there was no time. They started running with Alex in their lead. They had made it to the corridor leading them to the stairs that would take them to their destination when the building shook. Alex shouted for them to take cover by the wall right before all the windows shattered. A large tail swung through the wall and showered the cowered group with shards of glass and wood.

The moment the tail passed, Alex shouted at them to move and they broke into a run. Behind them the ceiling came down when Rexy hurled the Spinosaurus into the building, causing rubble to explode and disperse everywhere. Kara glanced back in horror and winced seeing the Spinosaurus had locked its jaw around Rexy's throat and blood oozed where its long teeth had lodged themselves into her neck. The used her feet claws and vengefully made deep incisions on her opponent's stomach. The sounds were deafening. Like nails on a blackboard, streaming through hundreds of megaphones, it set all your nerve endings on fire.

The group made it to the basement and Alex guided them through what seemed to be the boiling room and they each collapsed in a corner, panting heavily and shakily. The bangs and booms from the upper floor could still be heard.

Barry grunted painfully and Kara saw him clutching his left arm, holding it against his chest. His forearm was bleeding profusely as a large shard of glass had pierced it. Even in the dim light from the weak light bulb, the sight of blood sent Kara's head spinning. Caitlin went to Barry's help without hesitation and instructed him to hold his hand in a certain way as she cut the blood circulation with his own belt.

Alex meanwhile had crouched in front of Kara and was eyeing her worriedly. "Hey Kara, are you ok?"

Kara nodded immediately but regretted it as a wave of dizzy hit her again. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Your nosebleed, has it stopped?"

"Yeah, it seems so." Kara wiped her nose to check and showed Alex her dry hand.

"Okay, but you still don't look so good." Alex pointed out her Paleness.

"No, I Just hate blood." She persistently kept her head away from Barry and Caitlin so she wouldn't accidentally witness anything further.

Alex touched her shoulder and squeezed gently in sympathy. "Almost had forgotten about that."

Kara took a deep breath, growing calmer and less nauseous. She gave Alex a sad smile. "We don't even meet for Supernatural bing watching on Saturdays anymore like we used to."

Alex's face fell, a look of hurt replacing the usual impassive expression she wore to hide her feelings. She opened her mouth to say something, but Caitlin interrupted.

"Ehm, guys?" Caitlin's voice caused both sisters to look to her direction. "We have to get Barry to the infirmary as soon as possible. I don't have anything here to stop the bleeding for long."

Alex nodded in understanding and stood up straight. "It sounds quiet upstairs. Maybe it's all over. You stay here, I'll go check."

"I'll come with you." Kara claimed and rose to her feet next to Alex.

"There's no need Kara."

"But I want to." Kara persisted and looked at Alex knowingly until she realized Kara didn't want to be where someone was bleeding.

"Ok, let's go." Alex said and moved ahead.

The two sisters walked down the dark path along the pipes to find the stairs they had run down earlier.

Alex suddenly started. "Kara, about earlier… I just wanted to say I'm so sorry we've been drifting apart." She brought that topic up much to Kara's surprise.

She had assumed Alex wouldn't be the one to start this conversation since usually Kara was the one to take the first steps. The last time something like this had happened, was about eight years ago when Alex came out to Kara, confessing that she had been hiding and denying her true feelings and being a lesbian since she was 16.

They both had become increasingly unreachable and busy with their lives and jobs during the past few years. Sure they texted and were aware in general how the other was doing, nevertheless a gap had been created between them that neither had the courage to cross it and the longer it took, the harder it had become to initiate the reconnection. Kara really missed her sister and she resented the feeling that was breaking her heart. "Oh, Alex."

She assumed the feeling had been mutual when Alex stopped short to pull her into a hug and Kara couldn't stop the few tears that escaped her eyes. When they withdrew, Kara was a little startled by the sheen of moisture over Alex' beautiful hazel eyes. Apparently, she had forgotten some things about her sister as well. Things like how Alex was capable of getting emotional.

"What was it you said? It takes dinosaurs to get Danvers sisters back together?" Alex remarked in jest and made Kara laugh.

"I said it takes dinosaurs to get you to agree with me, but sure, I guess that's basically the same thing."

Alex smirked with the shook her head. "Fine, but we're gonna have sister nights right after this whole stupid thing. Deal?"

"Yes! Deal!" Kara kissed Alex on the cheek, overjoyed to have her sister back in her life like old times.

"I'm sorry I've been distant." Alex suddenly started apologizing.

Kara shook her head in refusal. "No, no Alex, it's fine. I get it. You moved in with Maggie, you had some issues and you had to focus on your relationship. I get how important that is! I know how much you love her!"

Alex beamed at her in appreciation. "Thanks Kara, but still I feel like I should've tried harder and gave you more chances to be in my life."

"Don't blame yourself Alex, please. I was being all closed off and weird too after things with James didn't work out. If we are playing the who's guilty game, I'm to be blamed too here."

"Ok, then let's make another deal. No more apologies." Alex offered her hand and Kara shook it without a second thought.

"No more apologies!" She grinned at Alex brightly and felt her heart was finally at peace and everything was once again right in the world. Almost everything.

They resumed walking, remembering that Barry's health was depending on them finding the state which HQ was in. Alex turned on a corner, a few steps ahead of Kara, but immediately backed away, colliding into her. Kara was about to ask why she had done that, but had no chance when Alex pulled her to press against the huge pipes and lifted her index finger up to shush her. Kara stared at her in confusion, however, the chatter and footsteps that reached her ears cleared things up.

"…is dangerous! You can't be serious." A female voice with a tint of British accent echoed in the basement.

"Tch, Lena, you may have inherited a Luthor's intelligence, but you always lack the vision." Another female voice answered the first one coldly in a disappointed tone.

"Don't give me that line again! You keep putting Lex on a pedestal, yet you choose to ignore the fact that he is living in a prison cell while I am the one running the company! This is just brilliant!"

"You call your pathetic science projects running the Luthor Empire!? You are a shame to Luthor name!"

"Do you expect me to wage war against the world openly instead!? Is that what satisfies you mother? You kept complaining about the Park, yet you saw how successful it turned out!"

"This Park is nothing but an entertainers business. A disgrace to the name of Luthor."

"Ugh, I did everything you asked me to. I even gave you that lab!"

"Then please tell me Lena, why isn't she dead? The poison should have killed her within two hours and it's been over nine hours!"

Kara cautiously peeked and saw the two fuming Luthors glaring at each other.

"I don't know mother! The venom is more concentrated in the fangs! The modeling is not one hundred percent accurate because these subjects are untested and if you let them out, no one will be able to control the situation."

Lillian started walking again and Lena followed her mother as she spoke, trying to catch up with her fast pace.

"That's where you're wrong Lena." Lillian said matter-of-factly. "We don't need any control over this."

There was a heavy silent following the statement and Kara moved to follow the pair as they got farther, itching to find out where they were going and not wanting to miss any of their conversations. Alex grabbed her arm before she had even gotten the first step.

"Alex, let me go!" Kara whisper shouted.

"No! You're not going anywhere!" She objected threw gritted teeth.

Kara yanked her arm, but Alex's hold was iron grip. "Alex if we don't follow them, we'll lose them. Didn't you hear them?"

Doubt and concern flickered in Alex's eyes and her hand loosened. "Okay, but you're not going alone."

Kara nodded and they walked as quietly as they could down the same path the Luthor women had gone moments before. Kara was about to lose hope that they had lost them when she heard their hushed chatter from afar. The two sisters exchanged a brief look and followed the sound. They made it in time just to see the Luthors standing in front of a door. Lena punched in some numbers on the small keypad next to the door and it slid open softly.

They stepped inside and the door slid shut with a hiss behind them. After waiting for a few minutes to make sure they were far from the door, Kara sneaked out of their hiding place with Alex. They reached the door and stood there indecisively for a second until Kara reached out and pushed in two numbers.

"How the hell do you know the password?!" Alex accusingly asked.

"I memorized the numbers she pushed in." Kara explained as she pushed number 6.

"You and your freaking photographic memory! Something tells me this isn't the first time you're doing this either!" Alex huffed as Kara pressed the last number.

Kara muttered something under her breath including the words "…for journalism…"

"Very creepy journalism!"

The keypad turned green with a low beep and the doors slid open once more, revealing an empty elevator cabin without mirrors. Just plain cold steel.

"Kara, we don't know what we're getting ourselves into." Alex whispered standing next to her.

"I'm not gonna stand around and wait to be killed for something I don't even know what." Kara stated firmly, holding Alex's stare. "If I'm going to die, I wanna know why!" She stepped inside bravely, even though her heart was pounding at the fear of unknown. She turned around and looked back at Alex. "So are you with me or not?"

Alex fisted both hands and a frown formed between her brows. "Who the hell you think I am? You think I'd leave my baby sister go on a suicide mission alone? You're only going to die, over my dead body." The brunette stepped inside, her chin held high. Kara smiled.

The door shut behind her. Unlike normal elevators, there were no buttons to push and the cabin started moving on its own according, taking them deeper into the ground.

"Oh God, we totally forgot about Barry!" Kara gasped.


	12. Chapter 12:Dark Side of Jurassic Park

**Chapter 12: The Dark Side of the Jurassic Park**

"Oh my God!"

Mike bolted upright from his tired nap at hearing Winn's distressed call afraid something was attacking them. "What? Where? What is it?" He scrambled to his feet and reached for his tranquilizer blindly.

"Dude! Mike! Come and see this!" Winn beckoned Mike while his eyes were glued to the screen in front of him. At first Mike considered rejecting him, but it must have been something really serious, otherwise, Winn wouldn't have reacted that way. At least most of the time he wouldn't, unless it was about the next the Star Wars movie or Warcraft.

"What am I looking at here?" Mike asked Winn after stifling a yawn, already bored with the dark screen filled with small font size lines.

"Mike, this is huge!" Winn gave him an awestruck look.

"Winn! I don't get it! What is it?" Mike pressed him to talk, growing impatient.

"This is what Maxwell Lord was talking about dude! The secret military project!" Winn explained and typed something that caused pictures to appear one after the other, showing three dinosaurs. Three, very weird looking dinosaurs Mike didn't recognize and that was impossible because he knew all of them by heart after years of working with them.

"What is this?" Mike squinted at the unfamiliar anatomy of the dinosaurs, trying to find an explanation. "Project Worldkillers?!" Mike read the folder name, his heart dropping in dread. That name was evident that this wasn't any peaceful project.

"Purity, Pestilence and Reign." Winn read out loud the three names, each hitting Mike with a colder ominous feeling.

"They don't look like any dinosaurs I know!" Mike told Winn and he nodded with wide eyes.

"Yes, that's because they aren't any normal dinosaurs! They are Hybrids! Genetically modified and bioengineered creatures created by L-Corp!" Winn opened another window fast, this time showing the genome of the dinosaurs, their DNA sequence. Their double X chromosomes indicated they were all female and Mike exhaled in disbelief when he noticed all three were part Raptors. They did seem to share their anatomy to some level as a result. Pestilence had longer claws though and Reign was three times bigger than any Raptors. Mike knew the reason why they had used Velociraptor DNA. Raptors were proved to be among the most intelligent kind and trainable. As Mike scanned the list he realized they had mixed the factor of intelligence with the deadliest features. More muscles, longer fangs, paralyzing shrieks and venom. All to create monsters capable of ending lives with a single blow. But these weren't any normal weapons. They were uncontrollable killing machines that had been stripped of their origin and identity. They were aliens.

Mike felt he was suddenly overtaken by terror and had to lean his weight to the table for a moment to gather his wits. His heart pounded as worry blossomed and spread in his chest like cancer.

"Winn, please tell me these are just graphic simulations!" Mike begged Winn to prove him wrong for once and discard his greatest fear.

"No, they are real." Winn answered apologetically in a quiet voice. "There are records of their growth from ten months ago when they've hatched."

"But that should mean they are still very young right?" Mike hopefully asked, taking into account the time scale of two years which a Raptor needed to become a fully grown adolescent.

"No, ehm…Mike… this says the aging gene has been deliberately altered to accelerate their growth to half of a normal Velociraptor."

"Where are they being kept?!" Mike frantically skimmed the page to find a location. Winn was faster and pulled open another folder to browse.

"They are being kept at the facility called Cadmus. Do you know where that is?"

Mike shook his head, clueless at the whereabouts of the place. "I pray to God it's not on this island, because if they are loose, none of us will make it alive out of here!"

Mike spun around and ran to get his backpack, shoving his the few stuff he had back into the bag.

"Mike? What are you doing?" Winn asked in confusion.

"We're going back to the HQ, right now! I just have this bad feeling. I don't want to stay away from Ka- I mean others after knowing this. I'm scared something might have happened there."

"Oh, dude I totally forgot, I just fixed the system. You're welcome!" Winn grinned at Mike with bags under his eyes.

Mike gasped in happiness. "Oh my God! You did? Winn, you are awe and some!" He high fived Winn and watched as Winn turned all the status signs back to green, sanctuaries closing and exit gates opened wide. Just as Alex had wanted. Now they could leave.

Mike then remembered something and asked, "Ehm, Winn? Hold on a second, didn't you format the whole servers before? How did you even find about the Worldkillers?!"

"First of all, will you stop saying that word out loud? It gives me the hibbie jibbies!" Winn actually shivered to himself. "And second of all, who you think you've been hanging out with since college? I'm Winn Schott Jr. , I wasn't going to just delete something this mysterious just because a Luthor asked me. I copied this on a cloud server I created before formatting the system."

"Dude!" Mike was speechless.

"Okay, Can we see HQ right now?" Mike asked Winn and he hummed in confirmation, before opening a new window showing CCTV of different cameras around the park. Thanks to Winn, now they had footage. Only then did Mike notice that it was morning.

"There." Mike pointed at one of the squares and Winn enlarged it.

"Holy shit!" Mike cursed loudly as the stream showed the most outrageous scene he had ever seen in his entire life. Something that only belonged to Sci-Fi movies. Rexy and Spade – the Park's only Spinosarurs – were fighting viciously and destroying half of the HQ building in the process. Cameras around the perimeter were getting crushed one by one, turning black.

"This is awesome!" Winn gaped at the screen in excitement, but noticed Mike's grim expression and corrected himself. "No, I mean this is terrible!"

As though suddenly recalling, Winn reached for his radio and paged the HQ.

"HQ this is Winn Schott, come in."

No one answered back. Yet that couldn't mean anything since they had seen some communication towers had been damaged and this could be as well because of that and not the possibility that no one was around anymore to receive the call.

"Winn! We gotta go now!" Mike dashed to pick up his backpack and almost trampling on one of the small dinosaurs in his hurry.

"Mike, wait! What are you going to do?! Don't tell me you wanna go into this mess! Look at this!" Winn gestured at the ongoing fight on the monitor, pleading with him with his eyes and words.

"What else are we supposed to do here Winn? Sit back and watch?! Because I'm not gonna sit on my ass when they all need our help. We can distract Rexy and Spade away."

"Yeah, like that always works!" Winn mocked his impulsive decision and shook his head. "And have you considered how we're even supposed to get back there in time? We have no car. It took us almost half a day to get here!"

Mike, seeing Winn's point, threw his bag back to the ground and kicked a stool across the room in his furry. "FUCK THIS!" He roared and the four little animals fled the room in fear.

"Hey, come down!" Winn spoke calmly and approached cautiously like he was a wounded tiger.

"DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN WINN! KARA COULD BE DEAD BY NOW AND I PROMISED THAT I'D KEEP HER SAFE!"

He shouted without any care for anyone or anything in the world to hear him. He had had enough of all this. Turning his back to his best friend, Mike dropped himself on a chair and grabbed his head with both hands, pulling at the roots of his hair, heaving and overwhelmed. His eyes burned with the imaginary picture of Kara bleeding and torn apart by sharp teeth. He felt like a failure, a liar. He should have been there to protect her, to keep her alive and sound. Not here, so far and so useless.

"Hey man…" Winn called quietly and coaxed him into lifting his eyes to himself by patting his shoulder gently. "I get it. You're frustrated and angry and you've been through a lot, but you have to believe that we'll figure it out. I mean look, you came through all that stuff with Lord and you kept Kara safe. And she has her badass sister with her. So I'm sure she's okay."

Mike blinked rapidly to suppress the sudden urge to cry and keep the tears at bay. "Maybe…" He mumbled thickly.

"Dude, you're in love with Kara, aren't you?"

"What?! No!" Mike denied him with a scoff and Winn stared at him skeptically until he confessed. "I- I might have feelings for her… I think…I think I kissed her…" He muttered, avoiding Winn's smiling eyes.

"Dude, you kissed her? And this isn't the same as the time she kissed you in the truck? That's great! I knew it! You're totally into her! And she is too! I saw the way you two said goodbye."

"I was on morphine! A… and I think she kissed me back, I mean she kissed me in the truck before, but…" Mike shook his head and tried to stop Winn from drawing more crazy conclusions by adding, "But none of this matter, because she's gonna be out of here when this is all over and she has her life in National City and why would she even want to be with me?"

Winn opened his mouth to dismiss his pessimistic thoughts, though Mike raised a hand to stop him. "Winn I really appreciate all this, but we don't have time to sit here and talk about my feelings. We gotta find a car." He stood up and picked up his tranquilizer rifle, throwing the sling over his shoulder.

"I'm going out to find us a ride. You stay here and try to find a way to contact the Porto Ricco National Guard. Tell them about what is happening here. They are our only hope left."

"But Mike –"

Mike interrupted him. "I'll try to be back soon." He was out of the lab before Winn could stop him and only heard him saying something about not knowing how to speak Spanish.

* * *

The elevator doors opened immediately after the ride came to an end. The Danvers sisters stepped into an eerie corridor illuminated by the identical dim blue lamps installed on the right side wall, each two meters apart. The deafening silence and the cold colors gave the newcomer an uncomfortable suppressing sensation, as though being under water.

Alex urged Kara to walk slower and she obliged. They didn't want to be found so soon. The path led the unaware seekers to another door. This one being transparent, let them look through and see a big spotless lab brightened in white light. There were no signs of the Luthors anywhere. They should have passed through this room into another door or corridors.

The door slid open automatically at their vicinity. The two walked in and were greeted by the scent of synthetic material in the air. Like how new electronics would smell.

They walked slowly through the huge lab, taking in their surroundings. There were soft clicking and beeping sounds coming from the different devices around the lab, colorful solutions mixing, monitors blinking and the systems running without any supervision. There were some glass containers and aquariums holding different animals such as lizards, toads, snakes and exotic looking fishes. It felt very creepy. This lab looked like nothing like the one Kara had been kept in for two days. Something entirely different was going on here.

"Oh my god!" Kara gasped as she hurried towards a small glass dome container "These are…"

"Dinosaur eggs. Yeah." Alex completed her fascinated words.

The surface of the glass was warm to the touch. "I had never seen one up close. I mean they showed them in the park on slides, and there were lab tours, but…" Kara trailed off, marveled by the sight of five big yellowish dappled eggs. "Look Alex! There are some broken eggshells too!" Kara excitedly pointed, but Alex didn't seem half interested as Kara.

"Come on, there's nothing here. We need to find the Luthors. I'm sure there's another door they've gone through." Alex said before walking away.

"Wait, maybe we can find something on the computers." Kara suggested and walked to the nearest computer. Alex nodded and joined her.

The screen turned on when Kara pushed one of the keys and it showed a blue password protected page. "Dammit!" Kara cursed.

Alex snorted. "You don't happen to know the password to this one, do you?"

"I'm not a psychic! Wish Winn was here, but what the hell let me use the same code from the door and see what happens."

Unsurprisingly the password wasn't accepted.

"This is useless." Alex claimed, shaking her head.

"But look at those." Kara pointed at another set of three screens next to each other showing 3D illustrations of three different dinosaurs. She walked over to look at them more closely. The one in the middle was the biggest with black skin and red eyes. The second one on the right, the smallest, had yellow eyes and yellow streaks along its dark body and a cowl on its neck, like a frill-necked lizard. Kara had no idea what kind of species they were. However, when her eyes landed the third one, her heart dropped.

"That's it!" Kara tugged at Alex's sleeve. "This is the dinosaur that attacked us last night! Look at the claws, Alex! And the white eyes!"

Alex stared at the picture sternly and her eyes squinted, her jaw clenching.

"You're right. It was dark, but I'd never forget those eyes."

"Alex, I think these are the dinosaurs Lord was talking about! The weapons!"

"How can you be sure though?"

"I don't know. It's just a gut feeling. I mean look at these dinosaurs. Do they look like any normal dinosaurs you've seen?"

"Define a normal dinosaur again?" Alex looked at Kara skeptically but nodded in agreement when Kara rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay. I hear you. I know they want to quiet us about something and this whole place smells."

"Yes, and that something are these three! Bioengineered dinosaurs!" Kara gestured at the monitors.

"And they set one of them to hunt you down!"

A muffled growl from somewhere beyond the walls interrupted them. The two stared at each other as the truth settled in them. Alex was the one who broke the silence first.

"We gotta get out of here, now."

"But –" Kara doubtfully looked around at all the evidence she could gather.

"No, Kara! We found what we were looking for. It's not safe here." She firmly said as she moved back to the door they had come through. "We can come back here later."

Kara didn't argue as they both rushed back along the corridor with blue lights and Kara pushed the button to call the elevator. The elevator didn't respond. Alex punched the call button repeatedly and futilely in irritation.

"Alex!" Kara called when a sharp smell burned her nose. "Is that smoke?"

Alex stopped unloading her frustration on the elevator and her eyes widened in realization. Without confirming or contradicting Kara, she hooked her fingers in between the elevator's doors and with a grunt pulled them apart until a big gap formed. The smell of smoke grew stronger instantly and fumes entered the corridor. Kara staggered back, but Alex bravely peeked through the gap and looked upside.

"Shit! There's a fire going on up there!" Alex told Kara in disbelief and the two ran back to the lab, searching for another exit. Alex went to one of the two doors and pulled it open to reveal a closet room. The only other existing door was unfortunately locked with no apparent lock on it. Alex ran into the closet room she had just found in search of a tool to break the lock on that door. She came out with a wrench and started working immediately to break the hinges.

The fumes were getting thicker with a dangerous speed and darkening the previously pristine lab. The two started coughing and Alex instructed a dazed Kara to cover her mouth and nose with her sleeve to prevent the smokes from entering her lungs. This was it. This was Kara's nightmare.

Alex continued to work on the hinges until they gave out and the door fell at last. "Here!" She pushed Kara through a door first before joining her and lifted the loose door to block the fumes and flames from them as much as possible.

They both gulped down big portions of air and coughed some more. Alex turned to Kara and saw her crouched on the ground, hyperventilating. Alex instantly recognized the signs of a panic attack in Kara and she knew the reason. Kara was reliving the night her parents had died in a crashed car that caught on fire. Kara had been there with them that night. The only survivor.

She was only 12 years old when it happened. They were coming back home from a summer festival in a nearby town late at night. A car coming from the opposite direction, hit them because the careless driver had fallen asleep and had drifted into their lane. Their car rolled out of the road and fell into the rocky ditch. Kara's mother and father had both become badly injured and trapped in the front seats. Kara, on the other hand, was more or less fine and free. By her parents' pleadings, Kara crawled out on her own, running as fast as she could to find some help. Unfortunately, the moment she climbed up to the road, the car exploded, perishing both her parents.

From that day, the sight of blood was unbearable to Kara and the smell of smoke triggered her. Although the latter hadn't caused any problems for years. Alex assumed all the stress and anxiety had brought her back to this point once again. For about two years since she had come to stay with the Danvers, Kara had suffered from several panic attacks and Alex was no stranger to them.

"Hey, hey Kara! Look at me. Focus on me." Alex calmly talked to Kara and grabbed her shoulders to bring her focus onto herself.

Kara felt her heart thumping faster and heavier as though about to burst any moment and tears began to stream down her face uncontrollably. "No…" She managed to mumble through whimpers.

"No what?" Alex asked, trying to make a conversation in order to get Kara to talk and help her.

"They always die." Kara whimpered as the old heart-wrenching images attacked her. "They keep dying…"

Alex put her hands on both sides of Kara's head and lifted her face. "They are never dead Kara. They live as long as you remember them."

Kara stared at Alex through the veil of tears, still shaken to her core.

"They live on inside you." Alex continued, brushing away Kara's tears as her own tears rolled down her cheeks.

Kara knew Alex had been reminded of Jeremiah and felt guilty. She tried to control her breathing. "I'm sorry!" She cried and buried her head in the crook of Alex's neck.

"Don't be." Alex shook her head as she patted Kara on the back. "How about when we get out of here, we go to Midvale? Hm? I'm sure mom's gonna make you Chocolate pecan pie. "

Kara laughed dryly and held Alex tighter as the residual effects of the panic attack gradually left her body. "The best dessert in the galaxy."

"That's my girl! Come on, let's go."

Alex rose to her feet and pulled Kara up with herself. The fire was getting closer, Alex could tell, with the door being too hot to the touch. They had to find a way back to the surface quickly.

"They burned down the HQ? Why?" Kara asked and Alex shrugged as they walked quickly down the new darker and wider corridor.

"That's why they came down here, to run away. They must be trying to erase all the evidence. Along with us."

"We should've taken something with us as a proof!" Kara grunted in disappointment, having second thoughts about whether it was too late to go back and pick one of those eggs.

"It doesn't matter anymore Kara. All that matters is that we get the hell out of here right now."

"Oh God, what about everyone else up there?!" Kara gasped and covered her mouth with her hand in sheer terror.

"Kara, stop going there! We don't have time for that now!" Alex snapped and Kara nodded with a heavy heart. There was nothing else they could do at that moment.

Since the Luthors had gone the same way, Alex was hopeful they would soon find an exit. Loud sounds of rumbling soon were heard, indicating the building above them was giving away under the heat and crumbling down. However, they grew distant as they followed the underground tunnel to an unknown destination.

In the end, they found themselves in a place resembling a plane hangar, being so huge and spacious, minus any gates or doors. There was banister going around three sides of the facility high above the ground, showing the existence of a higher level. Kara spotted some doors and windows up there. Yet there were no apparent stairs or means to access the floor at the first glance. There were more labs in this place, but unlike the previous one they had just left in a hurry in the hands of flames, this one was far dimmer and it reeked from the disgusting smell of rotten meat mixed with feces which forced Kara to cover her nose. The smells were faintly familiar yet Kara couldn't put her finger on it.

As they walked ahead towards the opposite wall, Kara's feet got caught in something soft and she reached and picked it up. It was made of fabric. "What's this?" She muttered and Alex turned to see what was in Kara's hands. "Hey, this is my top!" Kara claimed with a surprised gasp.

"What?!" Alex' loud question bounced against the far walls and echoed through the room.

"Yeah, it's the camisole I was wearing the day this all started and then I changed it when we came here…" Kara's voice trailed off when she noticed the huge holes and the torn side of her blue top and her heart began racing as her mind connected the dots to shape the frightening possible final picture. Suddenly she remembered why she found that foul smell familiar. The day Mike took him into the Raptor's sanctuary, their cages spread the same smell.

"I see you finally made it!"

Both sisters whipped their heads upwards to the female voice that had called them out spitefully. There was someone standing right above them, arms stretched and hands resting confidently over the railing and her posture screamed triumph. She looked down on them like a predator who had her preys right where she wanted. The weak lights didn't allow them the clearest view, but there was no doubt about her identity.

"Lillian Luthor!" Kara spat the name in resentment.


	13. Chapter 13: Something Wicked

**Chapter 13: Something Wicked This Way Comes**

"I see you finally made it!"

Lillian, the eldest of the Luthor family, looked down at them ominously as though a hunter smiling at her captured preys. Oddly Lena was nowhere to be seen.

Kara clearly felt Alex stiffening next to her and getting into a ready stance as her right hand went to her handgun hidden inside the vest she was wearing. Kara decided to make a conversation in hopes of preventing anything that was coming their way with reason. It was a long shot yet she had to try.

"What do you want from us Lillian? Isn't this already enough? Your Park is in ruins. What does it matter if we know about these secret labs? It's not like we can prove any of it anyway!" Kara spoke loud and clear for her to hear.

"You think I care about the Park? You liar! I knew it from the moment I heard your name, that you are colluding with Lord! That's all your family ever do! Kara Danvers, or should I say Kara Elmar? Daughter of Alura and Zachariah Elmar?"

Kara gasped and stumbled backward. "How- how do you know that?!"

"You think I'd forget the names of the people responsible for putting my genius son behind bars for life?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You ignorant stupid girl! You call yourself a reporter, yet you haven't even got the clue!" Lillian insulted Kara in disdain and added, "You don't even know that your mother, Alura, was the judge who condemned my patriot son to life imprisonment!"

Kara's eyes grew wide. "What? That's not true!" She had had read all the reports on Lex Luthor's trials. The judge's name was never mentioned. Doubt filled her mind.

Alex put her hand on Kara's shoulder in order to calm her and snapped at Lillian. "Shut up Lillian!"

Lillian laughed drily. "Why do you keep the truth from her Alexandra? Why don't you tell her why her parents died? You know what I'm talking about. I've seen your name so often on the request list to check out the file case."

Kara stared at Alex appalled, completely blown away, wordlessly asking her to say Lillian was saying rubbish to throw them off. But Alex did no such thing and instead looked away with sad eyes and a trembling lower lip.

"Alex…" Kara's voice cracked.

"Kara," Alex looked back directly at Kara with tears in her eyes, making Kara stop breathing altogether. "I… I should have told you when I found out, but- but I didn't want to hurt you by forcing you to go through the pain all over again."

"Alex, please, what are you talking about?" Kara whimpered.

"Your parents didn't die in a random accident. They… the car crash was all a setup. Their car was bombed and the man who drove you off-road, he was suspected to be working for Lex Luthor."

If it weren't for Alex's arms on hers, Kara was sure she would have fallen hard to the ground. Having no power left in her body to stand, Kara slid to her knees as Alex tried to hold her upright.

"Kara? Kara listen to me! I've been trying to reopen the case and I was hoping to break it to you when I actually had a solid lead, but the Luthors, they've taken care of everything. The driver is dead and I hit walls everywhere I went."

"My parents…they were killed…" She hadn't registered a word beyond what Alex had said about the car being bombed.

"YOU BITCH!" Alex roared at the nefarious woman who was watching them over in delight as if watching her favorite soap opera.

"Since you're already at it, Alexandra, why don't you go ahead and tell her why she was adopted by your family and forced to change her last name?"

Kara blankly gazed at Alex, too stunted to shed even a single tear and waited for another reveal to blow the bubble of oblivion she had been living in for the past thirteen years. Her whole reality. Strangely, this time even Alex looked all shocked and taken aback.

"STOP WITH YOUR BULLSHIT NOW!" Alex snatched her gun out of the holster and aimed it at Lillian with her face contorted with sheer hatred and rage.

The older woman didn't even flinch at the sight of the gun. Completely unaffected, she laughed in mockery and said, "I expected more from you Danvers. I thought you gave up a medical carrier to become a cop and find out why Jeremiah never came home, but obviously that plan hasn't really worked out for you, has it?"

All Kara could do was stay on the ground and be struck by each word.

"I was sent to my room that night, but I heard everything! You forced my father to work for you! He worked for you and you wouldn't lay a hand on Kara! That was the deal!"

"And did you ever wonder why your scientist father so desperately wanted to protect a girl who wasn't even his own?"

"Our fathers were close friends!"

No they weren't… Kara thought. She had no recollection of her father ever mentioning Jeremiah Danvers. He would have told her if they were close, wouldn't he? He told her everything. But then what did she know, all her life had been a big lie.

"Correct. They both worked at Star Labs and they found something they shouldn't have, much like you two. They didn't even stop to think the consequences of their actions as they dragged Lex into the mess which ended with the cost of their own lives."

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY FATHER?!" Alex cocked her gun and aimed with both her hands which were now shaking, making it impossible to shoot accurately.

Lillian made a long meaningful pause, just to take pleasure in adding to their suffering by keeping them in suspense.

"I didn't do anything. I just sent him on a journey, he took off and never returned. He must have really hated you and your mother to get lost so fast."

"UGGHHHH!" Alex let out a shout that held all the pain she had been keeping inside for years, and started emptying half of her magazine on Lillian, but to her surprise the bullets hit a bulletproof glass instead, making merely small dents on it. The glass had been so clear and smooth that they had been able to spot it.

Lillian shook her head in disappointment and leaned back, becoming grossed out by the show. "I think I've had enough of this. If you have any last words, I suggest you hurry up and tell it to each other because I don't have all day watching you imbeciles."

Kara and Alex exchanged an alarming look before returning their attention back to the ruthless woman. In her hand, Lillian was holding a small pad. With one last lopsided devilish smile, she touched the screen which instantly caused a loud sound emit, like rusty hinges starting to turn and metal creaking and screeching.

Right underneath where Lillian had been standing over, the wall facing the Danvers sisters, a vertical dark gap appeared in the wall as the two doors rolled back and retreating into the corners of the wall. With a frantically beating heart and shaking from head to toe, Kara stood up and stared blankly. Her mind screamed for her to flee

at this unknown danger, but her legs wouldn't listen.

For a long moment, nothing happened. No sound was heard and no movement seen. Time itself seemingly frozen still. Then as if on cue, a deep growling sound followed by heavy sounds of multiple footsteps reached their ears as three dinosaurs walked into the light with sharp bright eyes. Kara could hear their every inhales and exhales, unlike her own which seemingly had stopped long ago.

The one in the middle and the largest, covered in pitch black thorny scales, started studying them with its burning red eyes.

The deep navy blue one on the right with a smaller body build and two dorsal sails on its head in the shape of V, had white eerie eyes and long hooked claws. It was the same dinosaur which had attacked Kara and Eve last night.

And last but not least, the smallest of the three, had yellow streaks on its long figure, matching its golden eyes.

None of the three hybrids were even nearly as big as Rexy, but they looked far more diabolical and as though a reminder, Kara's shoulder injury stung harder than it had ever. Suddenly Rexy didn't even sound that vicious anymore.

"Meet Reign, Pestilence and Purity." Lillian chose that moment to introduce her made up dinosaurs. "The Worldkillers!"

The two sisters would have rolled their eyes at the overdramatic names Lillian had chosen for her bio-engineered monsters, if they weren't paralyzed by the sight of them.

"Oh, the irony! Your fathers gave their lives, trying to stop Lex from creating these magnificent beasts with the science they had a part in developing, now you get a glance of them right before you die by them!"

Without taking her eyes off the three dinosaurs, Alex took two very slow steps backward and came to stand right next to Kara.

Kara wished Mike was there. He always knew how to get around with these flesh eating animals. But he wasn't and Kara regretted her decision to ever sneak into the labs deeply.

Surprisingly none of the hybrids jumped forward to finish them. They kept sizing them up curiously as they sniffed the air and swung their tails. There was no escape. The only option that crossed Kara's mind was if they somehow could outrun the three powerful monsters and go back into that burning lab. Either way, death awaited them at both ends. The question was which kind of death they preferred.

Alex tried to stand between her and their dooms, but Kara griped her arm tightly and tried to stop her without having the courage to speak out loud, not to trigger the Worldkillers.

"Reign, kill them!" Lillian suddenly shouted and the biggest hideous dinosaur roared loudly and revealed two rows of razor sharp teeth, each capable of puncturing and tearing off a limb with ease.

Hundreds of kilograms of muscles coiled into a hunting pose and Kara braced herself for her end because her feet were glued to the ground and unresponsive by intense fear.

Yet instead pain, she felt herself being thrown off her feet and shoved to a side jeeringly. Reign's jaws missed her by a hair's width and for a millisecond, as Kara fell, she locked eyes with the huge blood colored orb that radiated nothing but cold animalistic instinct to kill. It lacked something she had seen in Rufio's eyes. The glimmer called the soul.

The momentum of the push caused Kara to slide for a short length on the smooth mosaic flooring on her backside before coming to a halt. She watched in horror the other two smaller dinosaurs becoming interested in this game as well and made sounds as though communicating and joined Reign. They reminded her of how Mike's Raptors worked together. Maybe they shared the same genes. There was no time to waste thinking of that as Reign got ready to charge again, this time looking impatient.

Before Kara could do anything, Alex shouted something to distract the dinosaurs from hunting Kara, not even an ounce of fear visible in her eyes. The brave agent raised her tranquilizer rifle and aimed at Reign as she walked away to drag the monsters away from Kara. There was no way she could sedate them all in time.

"Kara, run!"

"NO!" Kara punched at the floor, refusing to let Alex die for her.

Kara's window of escaping came to a close when the dinosaurs didn't take the bait and refused to pursue Alex. They seemed unusually focused on Kara. As Kara rose to her feet, she watched Alex using her last few neurotoxin capsules smartly by shooting at the monsters' necks. It suddenly dawned on her what role her torn blue top was playing here.

"You think those can stop these creatures?" Lillian taunted them with a snarl. They had forgotten she was still there.

Her words proved to be true when the sedatives did nothing but slowing them down for just a tiny bit. Alex then brought out her handgun and started shooting as she backed away towards where Kara was standing this time. However, to their surprise, even those bullets only gave those monsters shallow cuts instead of fetal wounds. Resulting in only irritating them further. Very shortly Alex ran out of bullets. Lillian burst into laughter and mocked their misery.

Kara desperately looked around and her eyes landed on a panel on the nearest wall holding a few long rods with forked heads. Very much like the ones Kara had seen the rangers carrying around with them the first day she had stepped inside the park. They were taser spears.

Without thinking twice, Kara sprinted to their direction. She had barely time to even grab one before Alex and the dinosaurs on her heels reached them. Holding the spear uselessly in her hands, Kara realized very late that she had absolutely no idea how to turn it on. Thankfully Alex seemed to be thinking more clearly because she snatched the spear and turned it on just in time to shove it into Reign's face and unlike the bullets, the electricity penetrated its thick skin much deeper. Next one to receive a taste of the electric shock, was Pestilence.

Alex jabbed the spear expertly into Pestilence's neck and the dinosaur whined in pain as she threw her long nails towards Alex' head. Kara instantly grabbed Alex from behind and yanked her down to save her from the poisonous talons. They both had heard what the Luthors were talking about in the basement. This hybrid was supposed to have venom in her claws, yet Kara was still standing. Nevertheless, Kara wasn't willing to stand back and test that theory again.

Unlike her other two sisters - the third and smallest of the bunch of Wordkillers called Purity - had not taken part in attacking the humans head on. Instead, she was standing back and opted to hiss at them. Smart move.

Before they could even start to come up with their next step, however, the two hybrids overcame their electrocution instantly. The taser hadn't knocked any of the dinosaurs out like it was supposed to. Apparently, these hybrids were far more resilient than normal dinosaurs.

Kara was sure they were goners this time. She abandoned all hope, thinking soon she would see her parents on the other side.

Pestilence took the lead with her milky eyes sparkling in victory and came very close to tear off Alex' head and the spear with one sweep of her claw, when the most unexpected thing happened. Reign suddenly jumped on Pestilence with an angry growl and pummeled her down as though she had rudely taken her thunder.

Kara was so bewildered at the sudden turn of events that for a moment she completely forgot that they needed to run away and instead watched the two dinosaurs screaming and scratching at each other like jealous sisters would over a shiny tiara.

The interruption gave Alex – who had remained unfazed by all that was going on – the chance to look for a possible escape plan.

"There!" Alex dragged Kara with herself and pointed at a metal ladder on the wall near them, connecting the ground level to the upper one.

Without any objections, Kara nodded and the two broke into a run, only to be stopped by Purity who jumped in and blocked their way. The only Raptor sized dinosaur tried to intimidate them by spreading the yellow cowl that had been folded and tucked against its neck this whole time and made herself look bigger. She then let out the loudest shrill Kara had ever heard. The sound was so sharp and pitch that Kara felt it piercing her eardrums. Both sisters screamed against the pain and covered their ears.

Alex who had been holding the taser spear this whole time, threw the charged rod towards its head and poked Purity in the side of the neck. The animal shrieked even louder as the electricity continued to fry her nerves and Kara was sure she was going to become deaf permanently. After what felt a very long minute which was actually a few seconds, Purity grew limp and fell to a side with her hands and legs twitching with aftershocks. She wasn't as strong as her sisters.

Alex sprang over the fainted beast, not caring if it would jump back up any second. She turned to Kara yelled, "COME ON!" Which Kara only understood from the movement of her lips while her ears were still ringing like crazy.

She didn't hesitate any longer and put her feet over Purity's neck, just as Alex had done, to get herself to the other side and tried hard to ignore how the texture of the dinosaur's skin squished disgustingly under her shoe. It was no time to think of such things. Their survival was the priority, nothing else mattered.

Alex prompted Kara to climb the fixed ladder first before following her. Unfortunately, the other two raging dinosaurs saw their preys escaping and put their differences aside, having the same goal once again.

They weren't high enough to be out of reach and Kara feared Alex would soon get to be the first lucky candidate to feel exactly how sharp Reign's teeth were with how fast they were approaching. The two dinosaurs weren't slowing down. In their rivalry, Reign and Pestilence clashed their shoulders to each other, trying to push the other out of their way to be the one who gets to them first. They were going to get squashed against the wall like bugs. Kara froze on the ladder, not knowing if she should jump left or right or just continue upwards in the little time left and what would happen to Alex.

Going mad with indecisiveness, Kara sensed Alex tugging her leg forcefully and pulled her down to left with herself as two heads made of steel, collided powerfully with the wall and ladder, right where the two sisters had been merely a second before, breaking through the hard material with a loud rumbling sound and sending clouds of dust into the air.

Kara only felt her body hitting something hard before everything went dark.


	14. Chapter 14: Rabbit Hole

**Chapter 14: Dinosaurs Don't Fit in a Rabbit Hole**

Kara was disoriented. So much so, that she couldn't even tell up from down with her ears still buzzing. The hit to the ground that had knocked the wind out of her. Her head was swimming literally and metaphorically with a throbbing headache and worrying thoughts. Were the hybrids on their way to eat her? Where was Alex? Was she okay? How about Mike? Where was he now? And then there were the inexplicable, recovered truths about her parents and their secret friendship with the Danvers' and how they were all connected to this whole mess. When had her life become so twisted?

A part of her was so beyond tired that wished for her to just give up. To just stay lying down there and wait for it to end, but in her delirium, Kara remembered once more the faces of her lost loved ones in their final moments, how they begged their daughter through blood and pain to exit the overturned car. To move despite the fear that had frozen her. They pleaded, ordered, ignored her whimpers and shouted at her to move, and one more time, Kara relented to their voices. Voices that had been long disappeared from the face of the Earth. They reached for her. An invisible scar, a pain she carried since that night and she wasn't about to forget them ever.

Kara fisted her scratched palms and pushed at the ground determinedly. With each movement, one by one, the bruises and wounds on Kara's body introduced themselves to her. The cut on her shoulder burned as though the stitches had been ripped open and her right elbow ached from a possible sprain. One of her knees twinged from the hard blow it had taken and let's not forget about the horrible throbbing in her head that was making her nauseous. Everything around her started spinning the moment Kara opened her eyes, but she fought against it and kept her head level until her vision came into a semi-focus. There was still dust in the air and she couldn't see any dinosaurs, but that couldn't mean they were gone. Maybe they were waiting and lurking around. Kara cautiously looked around and felt how the ground under her fingertips felt soft, dry and cold. A glance down confirmed that she was laying on her stomach on the soil. But that wasn't right. The floor of the secret lab was tiled and ceramic. And this was no wreckage from the wall.

As her slow mind started racing and pushed through the grogginess that was pulling her back into unconsciousness, Kara spotted another odd thing. In front of her, about two meters above, there was a big hole where the faint light from the lab was emitting from. Kara turned her head back and saw behind her, total darkness stretched endlessly. She was baffled. Had there been a cave behind where the wall was destroyed and she had been thrown into it?

"A- Alex?" Kara uttered the letters as soon as she found back her speech ability, coughing against the dry burn in her throat from all the grit and dirt in there.

A quiet grumbling sound reached Kara's ears and she turned towards it, surprised how close it actually had been.

It took Kara long seconds until she realized half her body wasn't on the ground, but on something else. On Alex.

"Alex!" Kara wobbled on her hands and tried to roll off of her half-awake sister.

She reached for Alex with a clearer mind and noticed her lying on her side and not moving. Kara shook her shoulders, calling her out over and over and growing more scared by each passing moment. To make matters worse, Kara heard movements and sounds from outside of the hole, indicating the three worldkillers were about to find them very soon.

"Wh… wha..t." Alex spoke unintelligibly and Kara silently cheered.

"Alex wake up! We gotta go!" Kara reminded her, but saying so she had absolutely no idea where they were supposed to go. Out of that hole was not an option and for all she knew the cave was a dead-end.

Alex finally opened her eyes and blinked unfocused at Kara. She saw an ugly bump on Alex's forehead and worried over her other possible injuries. "Are you hurt? Can you move your hands and legs?"

Alex flexed her hands and legs accordingly until she hissed with a painful gasp and reached for her right thigh. Kara followed her movement and saw a piece of metal poking out her leg. It was a torn part of the damn ladder. This was bad. Alex was losing blood.

Animalistic grunts and scratching sounds from the hole, set Kara's body into motion automatically. Without bothering to discuss the plan, as there was no time left, Kara took the charge and threw one of Alex's arms around her neck and pulled her up on her good leg with a newfound strength. Kara owed it all to the adrenalin pushing into her system that gave her speed and silenced all the pain an sourness that could stop her. She was moving without thinking.

Thankfully Alex was still too out of it to notice what was going on, otherwise, she might have objected. Kara took the chance and dragged Alex to the dark depth of the cave as sounds of claws behind them resonated into the empty space, ripping apart the wall and widening the hole to make a passage.

Kara strictly looked into the dark infinity ahead as she focused all her energy in carrying Alex with herself without stumbling too much and avoided glancing back, fearing the sight would dishearten her and kill her hopes.

Despite Kara's biggest fear, they never hit the bottom of this cave. There was now not even a speckle of light to help her make sense of where she was taking them, but that mattered little while trying to put distance between themselves and the three awfully equipped predators.

Kara stopped short for a moment and sharpened her slightly damaged ears over Alex's pain-filled pants, to hear if the dinosaurs had successfully entered the cave. However, she only registered silence. That was neither good nor bad news. They could be inside but keeping quiet. Or they could have decided they didn't worth the effort which was unlikely with their luck.

Kara decided they should move again. The path had a smooth downward inclination which had been a great help with the pull of gravity basically aiding them to move with much more ease. God forbid had it been the other way around, Kara doubted she could carry Alex for that long up a steep way.

Just as Kara was getting a little cocky over how lucky they had been, her outstretched hand that helped her tread the darkness, hit the rough stony structure of a wall. Kara's heart dropped like a wrecking ball, her heart pounding in despair and her eyes welling up with tears. Kara refused to give in and stubbornly pulled Alex along as she traced the wall blindly to the left, determined to find an opening. Maybe it wasn't a dead-end. Maybe the cave had a curve and was winded.

Going on and on along the wall, Kara found no pause in the harsh surface as it grazed her palm with sharp edges and the slope changed from downward to upward, making their progression much more difficult. Kara stopped for a second time, heaving in exhaustion. The adrenaline was wearing off and her scares ached even worse than before.

"Kara…" Alex called her weakly.

"Alex!" Kara almost cried. Alex was awake. She slipped them both down so they were leaning to the wall as she tried to catch her breath.

"Where are we?" Alex asked in a hoarse voice.

In absolute darkness, Kara had no way of seeing her face, but she imagined Alex was looking around in confusion.

"There was a cave behind the wall and we fell through it! I heard them trying to dig their way in and I tried to save us. But…" Kara's voice started to shake. "…but I think it's a dead-end." She felt her own hot tears against her cheeks.

Alex had remained quiet and Kara wondered if she had fainted again, but Kara felt Alex reaching for her hand and squeezed.

"I have a flashlight." Alex declared and not two seconds later, the sharp white beam sliced the darkness and bounced against the walls. The light was so intense that Kara had to cover her eyes for a moment.

Kara watched Alex in worry as she used her own belt and quickly tied it in a vice grip above her injured thigh. It helped that the metal piece was lodged firmly and didn't allow much blood loss. After Alex was done tending to her leg, she shone the light to their surroundings and for the first time, Kara saw where they had actually been walking through.

The cave looked much narrower than she had imagined, giving off a terrifying sensation of claustrophobia. It looked round and long like a rabbit hole. For a very brief moment, Kara amused herself by allowing her deranged mind to wander off and fancy how she had fallen down the rabbit hole and soon they would find themselves in Wonderland.

There was nothing to tell beyond the limited range the flashlight showed them. The path went endlessly in both directions. Apparently, Kara had stepped into another branch of the cave and therefore hit the wall of the tunnel that was going perpendicular to the direction of the first one.

"Kara look!" Alex exclaimed, pinning something on the wall with the light.

"What is it?" Kara asked when she couldn't see what Alex was seeing.

"That's a wooden bar! A pillar! Look another one's there!" Alex proceeded to project the light on another farther spot.

Kara blinked and squinted harder until she noticed the wooden bar Alex had mentioned. She was right. Kara's mind raced and her eyes fell on something that was twinkling on the ground beneath the dirt. She scrambled forward and brushed away the gravel until her hand touched something smooth and cold. It was metal. Comprehension hit Kara like a speeding train.

"Alex! This isn't a cave! This is "

"A mine!" Alex said at the same time as she did and they both looked at what Kara had unearthed. It was a narrow rail. A mine railway.

"Which direction should we go?" Kara asked. "How do we know which way could take us to the outside?"

She watched in wonder as Alex wet the tip of her index finger with saliva and held it still in front of her, waiting.

"That way." Alex pointed at the opposite way Kara had been taking them.

"How did you-"

The clear sound of gravel getting crushed echoed into the tunnel and both women snapped their heads in the direction in alarm. It was time to move if they hoped to ever stay clear of acute fangs and subtle claws. Alex clicked the flashlight off instantly to give them the advantage of darkness, but Kara already knew those enhanced predators could see in darkness better than any human ever could.

The loud roar jumped their bones and the two women looked to their left again to see two red eyes shining like rubies reflecting fire. It was Reign. Her giant head was poking from the opening of the first tunnel Kara had gotten them through.

Kara had no doubt they would be soon dead with how close the dinosaur was now, nevertheless she never came any closer. Only grunting and squirming angrily. Alex turned back on the flashlight and brutally sent the sharp beam into Reign's eyes. In the light, Kara easily realized why they were still alive.

The second tunnel was far too small to fit a dinosaur as big as Reign. The head on the long neck was the only body part that had been able to come through. Kara could not believe their luck.

"Come on. We should go now!" Alex beckoned Kara without taking her eyes off of the stuck enormous head.

Kara stumbled closer to Alex and helped her to stand up. It helped their speed greatly that Alex was fully awake now. Only when Alex started pulling Kara towards where Reign was, did Kara resisted as realization dawned on her. They had to go past her if they wanted to get out of this place.

"Come on Kara!" Alex said and it was her who was dragging Kara now instead. Kara complied with utmost reluctance and felt her heart booming frantically against her ribs the closer they got to the dinosaur.

There was a very small gap between the wall of the mine and constantly snapping jaws.

"Put your back to the wall!" Alex told Kara before slipping through the tiny breach swiftly without hesitation and pulled Kara without even waiting for her to do it herself. Which was for the best, because if it were up to her, Kara wouldn't have gone through. Kara closed her eyes shut and let out a long squeak as she passed through.

"Kara…" Alex moaned, panting and wobbling. She needed Kara's help to walk and Kara banished the residual fear and rushed to relieve Alex from the weight on her impaled leg.

Just as they had taken a few steps away and were celebrating their victory privately, Reign successfully carved out a piece of the wall and managed to bring in one of her lethal claws and swung hazardously it in search for them and missed them very closely. Unbelievable. The monster had her mind set on killing them and nothing was going to stop her. Not even lack of space. She was already making way by digging through.

The two sisters walked as fast as they could, down the tunnel which had a downward inclination in their favor and added to their velocity until they slammed hard into something that caused Kara's hold on Alex to slip.

"What the hell!" Kara moaned, massaging her chest and reached with her free hand to see what was blocking their way.

The flashlight came back to their aid once again.

"Is this…" Kara started in confusion.

"A mining wagon!" Alex completed her sentence and to Kara's total astonishment gripped the rusty rims and pulled herself up and into the cart.

"Alex what are you doing?!"

Alex was holding the flashlight with her teeth as she rummaged in the bottom of the wagon and moved around the old leftover pieces of ore and pulled out a hammer on a long stick and a pickaxe. She then tossed the hammer over to Kara who caught it clumsily with an oomph.

Kara stopped herself from questioning Alex again as she seemed she wanted to take her time with her plan and waited until she was ready to share. Alex climbed out of the wagon with difficulty and wiped the sweat on her forehead with the back of her sooty hand.

"Kara I'm sorry, but you have to the heavy part now." Alex claimed.

"What are you talking about?"

Another loud growl echoed into the tunnel and urged them to pick up the pace.

"You have to start the wagon with this hammer. We can't go on with my leg like this and we have no idea how long this mine is. Besides, by how that stupid dinosaur is ripping the tunnel apart, I worry the walls will collapse soon. If we want to get out of here in time, we got to ride this."

"Okay." Kara nodded and shifted the hammer in her hand and held it ready.

"No, hold it from here and here." Alex corrected the position of her hands so that would give the optimized torque force. "You wanna aim for the back of the wheels and don't hit them sideways or too strongly, or you'll break them out of the rail.

"Since when do you know how to swing a hammer?!" Kara quirked an eyebrow.

"Since the Dwarfs in Snow White that time, you forced me to watch." Alex rolled her eyes with a smirk and when Kara frowned at her, she got serious. "We get to break down doors to arrest criminals like a lot. So you know…now come on!"

Kara nodded and focused back on her task and swung the hammer with all her might as Alex kept the spotlight on the wheel Kara was supposed to hit.

"UUUGGGGHHH!"

DANG

The vibrating sound of hammer blasting the metal bounced against the confined walls and the old cart jumped forward a little before stopping again. The Worldkillers whined angrily against the noise as it must have been painfully pitched to their sensitive ears.

"Now the other wheel!" Alex motioned and Kara fixed the hammer in her hands once more.

DANG

The wagon moved again this time much lighter.

"Okay, now push it." Alex took the hammer from Kara to get her hands free.

Kara obeyed and put her weight on the cart. It moved very slowly.

"It's useless!" Kara said through gritted teeth.

Alex came next to Kara and put her back to the wagon and pushed back with her good leg. Kara pushed once more with Alex and the car moved a bit faster on the ancient rails.

"You don't happen to have some Vaseline on you, do you?" Kara joked through heavy pants.

Alex snorted. "I thought you're the one who carries around stupid stuff like that."

"Hey! My hands get very dry in winter. You know that!"

As they bantered, the cart started to catch some speed, indicating Alex's plan was working.

"Yes!" Kara almost cried happy tears and Alex chuckled.

Once more Alex pulled herself inside the cart and stretched her hands to offer Kara help to get on board.

"Put your weight on the front side!" Alex motioned for Kara and they both leaned their body to the front ledge and let gravity do its job and move the wagon.

Even after living through a thrilling chase down – courtesy of Rexy – in Kara's mind, this was the weirdest ride she had ever been on. She doubted even Snow White herself had ever experienced this.

Behind them, the tunnel shook as Reign finally set herself free from the tight walls and crept after the clever humans dangerously albeit slowly. From behind her, other grumbling sounds indicated Purity and Pestilence were following closely. The whole pack was on their tail.

"Come on!" Kara threw her torso over the front of the wagon and pleaded with the ancient metal to move faster. It was the most grueling ride ever with the cart slowing down over bumps and moving a little faster occasionally. Thus there never was any significant distance between them and their persistently digging Hunters. They were only slightly ahead.

"Alex look!" Kara shouted when finally she noticed the light from the end tunnel. "We're gonna get out!"

Alex squeezed Kara's shoulder tiredly and smiled weakly. She was losing blood and it killed Kara that there was nothing she could do to help her. She only kept telling herself when they get out of the mine, they could get help.

Nevertheless just as the vision of getting free from this dark hole crossed Kara's mind, it was instantly replaced by the picture of their hungry followers. Getting into open space didn't mean only her and Alex's freedom alone. It meant the Wordkillers' freedom as well. Alex was reading her face and by the look on her own face, Kara knew she was thinking about the same thing.

As though a warning, the walls of the tunnel grew wider the closer they got to the ending, the declination of ground evening out and the wagon slowing.

A wave of damp air blew in their faces with water droplets spraying on them like tiny needles as they hit the open air. Only then did Kara realized on how low oxygen she had been running and sensed how her nose and throat had been closed up with dust and dirt. Kara covered her eyes as the swarm of daylight attacked her eyes that had been too used to the dark. It was raining even faster than in the morning and there was no way to tell what time of day it was with how thickly clouded it was.

Kara gasped when the wagon hit something at the end of the rail and it tilted sideways, throwing its passengers on the ground. It hurt. Angrily, Kara blinked over and over to get the rain out of her eyes and willed her vision to become clear and adapt to the light again. Once it did, Kara found herself staring at a rocky ground, half covered by wet weeds and dead leaves. She instantly turned to check on Alex and found her already struggling to get to her feet by using the pickaxe as a cane.

"Alex!" Kara called as she scrambled to her feet and slipped a few times on the slick ground.

But Alex didn't even acknowledge her and instead was heading for the mouth of the tunnel not that far from where their ride had collapsed. Kara nervously looked into the mine and saw the Wordkillers not very far and coming forcefully, roaring cheerfully.

"Alex stop! What are you doing?!" Kara cried when Alex limped into the mine with no hesitation. She had her mind set on a plan she had no desire in sharing and it was terrifying Kara.

"Alex please!" Kara's tears mixed with the whipping splashes of raindrops on her cheeks. Her knees gave away and she whimpered as she gripped the slippery edge of the fallen wagon to keep herself up.

"Kara…" Alex called at last from inside the mine as she was holding the pickaxe raised and ready near the wooden frame that supported the carved entrance walls.

Kara covered her mouth to stifle the sobs that wrecked her body because now she understood fully what Alex was about to do.

"RUN!"

Alex shouted before breaking the pillar with one calculated and powerful hit and sent the walls shaking and crumbling. Ores and stones rained down like the storm outside over her head and filled the mine within seconds. Alex buried herself with those freaky dinosaurs to save Kara.


	15. Chapter 15: Believer

**Chapter 15: Believer**

The storm was now in full effect, the rain whipping the earth. Droplets struck any surface with force and the smaller trees were bending under the pressure of wind. Somewhere deep into the island, Mike futilely wiped the water off his face for the thousand times as he shoved the door to the lab open and called for his friend. "Winn? Come on, Let's go! I found us a ride!"

Winn rushed to greet him with an astonished face. "You did?"

"Yeah, let's go!" Mike nodded and wished Winn could get ready faster. His stomach was flipping with worry. "Ehm, hey did you manage to contact the National Guard?" He asked.

"Yeah! Actually no, I mean yes I sent a message, but no one was on the line. So I wrote a loop and the message will be broadcasted on repeat until someone notices it."

"That's genius!" Mike stared at Winn in awe.

Winn chuckled with a smug look. "You bet it is!"

"No kidding! But could you be all cocky and pack at the same time?" Mike motioned for him to collect his laptop faster so they could leave. Mike took the little time to wait to check on the dinosaur eggs one last time. They were safe and sound. He could come and fetch them later.

"So what did you find us?" Winn asked as soon as he picked up his backpack and they headed for the exit.

"Something fast." Mike answered simply and pushed open the door to reveal their ride. He had found it in the same old garage Alex had found the jeep inside.

"A motorcycle?" Winn's face fell.

"What's wrong with a motorcycle?" Mike frowned. He was expecting Winn to actually be more delighted since he had always fancied how cool riding a bike is, seeing Mike riding one all the time.

"In this storm!?" Winn shouted as he held onto his hat before the wind could take it off.

"Oh come on Winn! What's a little rain ever done to you? We already got all wet when we walked here."

"You call this a little rain? And I have to play spider monkey?"

Mike rolled his eyes. He didn't feel up for another round of arguing. They were losing precious time. He went to get on the bike and wore a pair of goggles he had found.

"I don't want to force you to do anything Winn. I'm going, but you can stay here until this is all over and then I can come and pick you." Mike declared and stared at Winn seriously. Winn gazed back at him with eyes filled with hesitation. But they grew sharp and grave moments later as if he had come to a decision.

"You ain't going anywhere to have all the cool adventures without me, Matthews! I'm coming with you even if it's scaring the crap out of me! I won't be a redshirt!"

Mike smiled at his best friend brightly and tossed him the only helmet that had come with the motorcycle. "Then hop on Schott! We've got to go and save the day!"

Winn wore the helmet and clung to Mike's back like a baby koala bear. Mike didn't wait for a second longer and roared the engine to life and sped away.

They were moving as fast as the weather allowed them. Mike's vision – even with the goggles - wasn't that clear and the thick fog over the island added to the problems. He kept checking the landmarks to make sure they were on the right track and even though he knew this part of the Park by heart, it was still difficult.

At some point on their way, Mike sensed something chasing them. Even with the loud sound of the engine, he heard the bushes moving. Mike hit the brakes hard, inclining the whole bike to a side to use the friction and skidded on the slippery ground before coming to a full stop. Merely inches away from the greenish figure that had jumped in their way.

"Rufio!" Mike called his Raptor in surprise.

The Raptor growled then and one by one, the other Lost Boys emerged from their camouflage, circling around the bike. Mike watched them carefully.

Coming to stand right next to Rufio was Ace. Mike sighed in relief and praised the smart creature silently for being able to find his family so fast. He shouldn't have expected any less from him. Rufio had always played the leader and Ace had been his closest brother. The two were inseparable. In other words, Rufio was the Alpha and Ace his Beta. His second in command. Mike had closely witnessed their dynamic in hunting formations.

Then there were Nibs, Prentiss, Curly and last but not least, Tootles. Mike felt so relieved to see them all fine, not a scratch on them.

Behind Mike, Winn clutched to him harder when the Raptors approached them rather imposingly and Mike decided to act faster to prevent any possible accidents. Truth to be told, he was a bit too worried about this surprise visit.

"Boys!" Mike called them loud and clear as he raised a fist straight into the air. They all followed his hand with their eyes instantly like they always did. That was a good sign. They were listening to him. Mike whistled and they all growled familiarly in unison. Mike turned the front of the bike back to the original direction and made the engine rumble a few times by turning the nudge on the right handle as though preparing for a rally. All the boys started waving their tails in anticipation.

With his left hand still up in a fist, Mike turned his glance on each of the Raptors around them one more time, gauging their readiness and stopped on Rufio who was standing right in front of the motorcycle. He kept his eye contact with Rufio until he got the message and moved out of the way to clear the path.

Mike dropped his hand and let go of the brakes to let the bike shoot ahead. Rufio and Ace caught up to the fast pace easily, running along on either side of the bike. This was no shock to Mike, however. From previous tests, Mike already knew the Raptors would have no problem following the bike at the speed of about 60 miles per hour. Ace, in particular, had a solid 70 mph in his records, making himself known as the fastest Raptor and proving once more why his name was so fitting. He aced all the tests.

The Raptors looked focused and gurgled occasionally to communicate with each other. He didn't need to look back to know the other Raptors were following him. It was a weirdly pleasant occurrence to have all the Raptors following and escorting him like this. To feel protected by them and no more alone in this jungle. They kept surprising him by doing things like that lately. Mike never imagined they could be such loyal animals.

With a new hope rising in his heart, Mike concentrated back on finding their way back through the ongoing storm. They had the help of the Raptors now.

Thankfully the rain and wind slowed down gradually and by the time Mike saw the main road appearing, it stopped completely. Mike drove the bike briskly onto the smooth asphalt and felt his heart beating faster in anticipation because he knew they were very close to the HQ now. They passed by the useless SUV the Luthors had given them. It had been cast aside with the tires facing the sky. Clear claw marks on it indicated that either Rexy or Spade had had some fun playing with the empty vehicle in search for food.

Mike stared ahead to where the HQ building was over the hill to see if the massive fight was still going on and his heart dropped when instead he saw thick black smoke rising into the sky. HQ was on fire!

Both Ace and Rufio started growling deeply against the sharp smell burning their sensitive noses from that distance and Mike visibly saw their muscles tensing. Behind him, Winn uttered an exclamation of shock, which he couldn't quite catch as he added to their speed. Instinct told him to turn away while his heart screamed to keep going. He chose the voice of his heart.

The closer they got, the darker and thicker the air became. When they reached over the hill, at some short distance to the crumbled complex, Mike stopped the bike when he noticed the Raptors weren't coming anymore. They looked agitated and wouldn't come any closer. Mike didn't blame them, they were probably smarter than he was for not wanting to.

There was little oxygen left as it was filled with black smog instead. Mike used the bandanna he had in his bag to cover his mouth as he ordered Winn to do the same. Mike then signed Rufio to stay where he was before starting the bike again. He could only hope the dinosaur would listen to him.

Squinting hard into the dark fog that rolled up and around, Mike searched for any survivors. He called out as he went around the building. He was losing all hope when he noticed some figures running towards them with their faces covered by hand or scarfs.

Mike recognized Eve with tears in her eyes – due to all the smoke – helping Barry who was had his arm bandaged and in a makeshift sling with his previous lab coat. Dr. Snow wasn't far behind them holding up an IV bag that was attached to a body carried over John's shoulders. It was Maxwell Lord. Next to them, there were some other men in black. Mike counted five guards, two of them limping and looking hurt. Searching with frantic eyes from, Mike felt his breathing stopped when he found no sign of Kara nor Alex among the group.

"Matthews!" John acknowledged him first

"Mike! Winn!" Barry waved at them with his good arm. He looked terrible with his glasses broken and askew on his smudged face.

Mike stopped the bike immediately and jumped off it along with Winn to rush and help out.

Winn went to help Barry by taking his weight off of Eve and Mike threw one of the injured soldier's arms around his neck and helped him walk easier. "What happened here?" He asked.

"Two dinosaurs got into a fight and started destroying the building…" The guard explained between painful gasps.

"It was the and a Spinosaurus!" Barry interjected.

"We know! We saw them on CCTV! The system is back on!" Winn said.

"Thank God!" Eve exclaimed. "Does this mean we're saved?"

"Great job Schott! Did you contact the National Guard?" John interjected.

"Yes, I left them a message. They should be getting it soon."

Despite wanting to know every detail of what had happened at the HQ, Mike couldn't help but ask about the most pressing issue on his mind. "What happened to the others?" He deadpanned, trying to keep the turmoil hidden.

"We couldn't find anyone else." One of the guards said and shook his head, avoiding Mike's eyes.

Mike felt his insides turning into ice and his steps growing slower. "How did the fire start?" He surprised himself by the question that came out of his mouth while his mind was sinking into the dark abyss inside.

Caitlin was the one who answered. "We were in the basement when it started. Alex and Kara went to check if the dinosaurs were gone, but they took too long and then the smokes spread fast and we had to leave. We don't know how it started but it was somewhere in the basement."

"So… so you don't know where Alex and Kara are?" Mike was well aware of Winn's worried gaze on him but chose to ignore it.

"No, we couldn't find them anywhere," Caitlin said bitterly.

"Two of the guards also got trapped in the ground floor we couldn't get to them in time." John said gravely as he shifted Maxwell's limp body on his back. "I only managed to get Lord out of infirmary right before the floor gave away." He shook his head before adding, "I don't know where the Luthors are either. They took off when the fight started."

Mike nodded solemnly, unable to speak against the painful lump that had closed his throat. He had half a mind to leave others and run into the building and search under every brick to find Kara and Alex. They couldn't be gone. No, he didn't accept this.

He was so deep into thinking about his secret plan that he didn't realize the Raptors were standing some 10 meters away, and only by people's gasps and flinches did he lift his eyes and noticed them.

"Hey, no, it's okay! They're on our side!" Mike raised his voice and shook his head at the guards to drop their guns. "Please don't shoot them, they won't hurt us."

The guards listened to him reluctantly, but kept the rifles at ready with their fingers on the trigger. They looked tense as did everyone else and stopped their tracks, unwilling to get any closer. They were far enough from the building now anyway.

"We need cars and phones." John pointed out as soon as he put Maxwell Lord's body down on the lawn. The mad scientist was in a dirty hospital gown and passed out. His right arm was heavily wrapped with bandages from hand to elbow.

"First aid kits would also be very helpful." Caitlin added looking around at all the people with bruised limps and broken bones and bad burns.

"Matthews, what happened to the SUV?" John questioned him.

"It was tempered with." Mike snapped in a stern voice and watched everyone gaping at him with confused expressions. There was no point in lying or pretending anymore, nor did he cared. "The Luthors want us dead! They've been making very dangerous and genetically modified dinosaurs and Lord wanted to get money out of them by revealing this secret. It didn't work out, but now they want to kill us just because of our involvement in this! " He made eye contact with each person, daring them to defy.

"A weird dinosaur tried to kill me and Kara!" Eve suddenly blurted out and Mike's eyes returned to her and grew wide.

"What?!"

"Yeah, but Alex came in time. It ran away."

"Not before killing three people!" The guard Mike had been helping added.

"No…" Mike felt his heart clenching in fear and devastation. He made up his mind then. Kara couldn't be dead. There was no way and he was going to find her now. "I'm going to find them!" He announced and started to walk back towards the still ablaze building dauntlessly, without waiting around for anyone to stop him.

"Mike, no! It's too dangerous!" Winn pleaded.

"Matthews stop!" J'onn ordered, but he ignored them all.

Just as he had taken a few steps, Mike heard the Raptors starting to growl loudly and Rufio ran up to him in distress. He pivoted his head towards the HQ and stretched his head, sniffing, as though spotting something. He then growled alarmingly.

"Hey, Ruf. What is it, boy?"

The Raptor didn't turn to Mike. Instead, he tapped his hooked middle foot claw on the ground and two other Raptors, Ace and Nibs, instantly answered him back. Mike was taken aback by their mysterious conversation and decided to watch.

Unexpectedly, Rufio sprinted forward, followed closely by Nibs. Mike looked back in total bewilderment how now Ace seemed to have taken the role of the temporary alpha, in charge of the remaining three Raptors.

"Ace, Stay!" Mike ordered him and the smart dinosaur stared back fiercely unblinking. He saw a shadow of understanding in the Raptor's yellow orbs and took it as the sign of the confirmation he sought.

"Mike! What are you doing?" Winn asked nervously as Mike started running after the two departed Raptors.

"I'm going after them! Rufio has found something. You all try to find a car or something and get yourselves to the east coast, Port 3! It's not safe standing here!" He said hastily before turning away and run.

He didn't even know what was the deal with the Raptors and part of him wished to ignore it and continue with his own plan to search HQ to find Kara, but he had a gut feeling that this was too important. Mike fixed the bandanna back on his face to protect himself against the suffocating fumes and squinted hard to find Rufio or Nibs. He saw them slowing down close to some fences that had closed a narrow gravel passage. The two clever dinosaurs took down the small blockage easily and briefly turned to look at Mike, as though waiting for him. His breath got caught in his throat at how sentient they were acting. His eyes then landed on his bike very nearby and ran to fetch it. He had no chance following the fast animals on foot.

Mike turned the motorcycle around with a screech and chased Rufio and Nibs into the woods beyond the fence.

Occasionally he heard them and sometimes he caught sight of their tails which helped not getting lost. Mike dodged trees and plants, hoping they would get to their destination faster. A destination that was a complete mystery to Mike only. He noticed how they were always going lower on the opposite side of the hill which the HQ was built on.

Fortunately, the fog had lifted, allowing Mike to see well ahead how the path became too steep and devoid of all threes before reaching it. He stopped the motorcycle and jumped off it to continue on foot. He feared he had lost the Raptors, but soon he found them standing side by side motionless, facing what seemed to be a stone wall. It looked odd against the natural structure of the tropical island, looking ravaged and naked, devoid of plants. It almost looked as if it had been dug and hacked.

The closer he got to what had piqued the Raptor's interest, the more confused Mike became. That was until he finally noticed a figure moving frantically against the still wet stone wall, as though trying to rip it apart. Mike froze when he saw her, a mixture of disbelief and concern washing over him as his eyes took her in. She was so deeply focused that she hadn't even noticed the presence of two Raptors behind herself.

Her clothes were blackened and shredded. Her loose damp locks looked many shades darker and were sticking to her back. She was whimpering weakly as she was working to move away from the pile of rocks in front of her with shaking hands, but they were too heavy for her and she yelped as her seemingly weaker left hand gave away and the slick stone from the rain, slipped out of her grasp.

"Kara!" Mike ran to her on shaky legs, catching her from behind right before the heavy rock could smash her foot.

She didn't say anything or acknowledge his presence as she broke into a hysteric cry into his arms. Mike held Kara tight to his chest and stroked her wet hair to sooth the nonstop quivers. He hated to stop this now, but he needed to make sure she was okay, so he pushed her out of his body and cupped her face to look into her tormented teary blue eyes. There were stains of soot, mingled with rain and tears streaking her face, her glasses fractured and a narrow cut along her hairline was swollen and bleeding slowly.

"Kara, please talk to me! What happened?"

"M- Mike… A- Alex!" Kara stammered terribly and unclearly as her teeth chattered and she cried harder when she turned her head back to the place she had been removing the rocks.

"Alex what? Please calm down for me?" Mike didn't let go and massaged her temples with his thumbs and coaxed her into telling him what had happened while dreading the answer.

"She…" Kara couldn't even start and instead forcefully broke free from Mike's hold to collapse down right in front of him as new tears poured out of her eyes and she hid her face with both hands.

Mike's heart sank to his feet as a sickening feeling spread in his chest. He had a few guesses what had happened, even though he didn't know how. He felt so appalled and helpless, not knowing what to do or how to help Kara. She was just sitting there on the ground utterly defeated and broken, refusing to even look at him as sobs wrecked her vulnerable lithe body.

"Kara…" Mike's voice cracked as did his heart and sat in front of her, reaching for her.

"NO!" Kara snapped by swatting his hands away and was trying to stand back up. "She's still alive! I know it! She has to be!"

"Kara!" Mike called again uselessly and watched as Kara rushed back to resume what she had been doing before Mike and the Raptors had gotten there.

Rufio and Nibs unbeknownst to them had been busy sniffing around the same spot and as soon as Kara came between them - without even pausing at the sight of them - and picked one of the rocks, they both joined her and gouged the pieces with their powerful claws whilst making all sorts of weird short sounds.

Mike had a hard time believing his eyes. All the signs were suggesting that Alex somehow had gotten buried under the pile of stones and there was a very low chance she could be still in any good shape, but the way the three were digging tirelessly, forbade him from assuming the worst just yet. Therefore Mike pushed aside all thoughts and hurried to move the next rock.

"Alex!" Kara kept calling in a hoarse voice. Mike feared she was pushing herself beyond her limits, but regarding the mad look in her eyes, he already knew asking her to stop would have no effect.

"Alex!" She screamed when a hand appeared from under the rubble. Kara held it and squeezed.

To Mike's absolute amazement, Alex's fingers curled in response to Kara's and the whole team cried happily. Even the Raptors had picked up on the humans' cheerful vibe and started removing the debris with doubled energy and speed - even using their teeth - until Alex was free. It was a bonus to have two dinosaurs helping you. If it were up to only the two of them, Mike doubted they could have got to Alex in time.

Alex was revealed covered in dust from head to toe. She was passed out by the time they pulled her out and Kara once more was hiccupping with sobs at the fear of losing her sister. Mike quickly carried Alex away and laid her on a flat surface gently. He checked for a pulse which was there, but weak, and for broken bones which surprisingly she didn't seem to bore any. The wound on her thigh though seemed in a bad condition with a piece of metal lodged into it. The only good thing was that it wasn't bleeding that fast. There was an obvious bump on her head as well.

"We need to get her to Caitlin!" Mike told Kara who had been silently fidgeting next to him, her eyes never straying from Alex's closed ones. She nodded repeatedly with a dejected expression and lips pressed hard to control the trembles. Mike looked around for some idea how they could carry Alex all the way back. The bike didn't have room for three and it wasn't smart to carry an unconscious passenger on a bike.

Alex suddenly gasped and woke up with a start.

"Alex!" Kara cheered and reached for her hand.

"Kara?" Alex croaked with a terribly dry throat, blinking many times.

"I'm right here! Mike saved you!" She cried with a heartbreaking smile.

"No no no no! You idiot!"

"Alex –"

"I told you to run!" Alex pushed herself up on one hand and shoved Kara away rather harshly.

"But –"

"Mike!" Alex bunched the front of Mike's shirt in a fist and pulled him near herself. She was too strong for someone who had just survived the impossible. Mike didn't even know how she was alive, let alone talking or yelling. Alex stared at him coldly, but that coldness was not directed at him, Mike sensed that there was some grave matter. He saw terror instead of rage.

"Mike!" Alex repeated as she shook him. "Take Kara and run! You cleared the way, you morons!"

Mike looked at Alex baffled and unable to follow. "What are you –"

"I SAID TAKE KARA AND LEAVE NOW! THEY'RE COMING!"

Mike flinched at her words and his blood ran cold as he followed Alex's line of sight as she stared at the place they had extracted her from. The place that now had a dark hole in it.

"The World Killers…" The ominous name rolled on his tongue and he felt how both Kara and Alex stiffened.

"You- you know?" Kara asked and he nodded in reply.

"Then what the hell are you standing here for!? I SAID RUN!" Alex shoved Mike away.

"We can't leave you here!" Kara protested with new angry tears shining in her bloodshot eyes.

"Yes, you can and you will!"

Meanwhile, Mike felt the rising panic that was surging his body into a shock. If they had been running away from the killer dinosaurs, then it could already be late for them and he had to act now if just one of them could survive.

"Kara let's go." Mike reached for her arm.

"NO!" She yanked her hand away and looked at him in disbelief as though he had betrayed her. "I'm not gonna let Alex die here!"

Mike glanced at Alex and the two shared an intense stare for a few seconds, mutely communicating and he understood clearly what she was asking. Taking a deep breath, Mike accepted what the selfless brave sister was putting on his shoulders. He thought quickly then, grabbing his rifle which still had a few rounds, and handed it to Alex.

Mike then grabbed Kara's hand and held on tight so she wouldn't free herself as easily this time.

"You keep her alive Mike, you hear me?!" Alex demanded firmly and he only nodded grimly in response with an emotionless face.

"LET GO OF ME!" Kara yelled as she tried to escape his iron grip to no avail.

He let Kara squirm, push and even punch him as much as she wanted, but never budged, never slowed and never listened to a word she spat and screamed at him as he pulled her away from Alex.

Inside, Mike's heart broke to pieces, but it had come down to this and there was not a second to lose.


	16. Chapter 16: Fallin'

**Chapter 16: Save me 'cause I'm fallin'**

Mike practically dragged Kara all the way back to where he had left his motorcycle. He then saw that only one Raptor out of the two was by him.

"Rufio? Where's Nibs?" He asked and quickly looked around, not having the time for this.

His eyes drifted back in the rocky field where Alex was trying to move in order to take refuge behind a boulder. There, Mike saw the missing Raptor, Nibs, following the injured woman like a shadow and then nudging under her arm with his head, offering to help her walk easier by supporting her weight on his long neck. The brunette flinched away at first, thinking the Raptor meant harm, but soon realized what the animal was offering and gladly threw her arm around Nibs' strong body, letting him help her.

For a moment even Kara stopped her constant thrashings to watch the scene. They were both flabbergasted.

Mike blinked a few times and reminded himself that they needed to leave instantly. Since Kara wasn't trying to run anymore, he let go of her arm for a moment to get on the bike.

"Come on, Kara." He called her and she was still staring at Alex. Shoulders slumped and shaking.

"I can't leave her." Her broken voice was barely above a whisper. It made his heart ache.

"She's made her decision, Kara and she made it to give you a chance at survival. Now if you don't want her sacrifice –"

"I DON'T WANT ANYONE ELSE TO DIE FOR ME!"

Mike gasped at her explosive response and was perplexed in the face the fire burning in her teary eyes when she turned to pierce him with them. "Kara –"

"You'll never get it, Mike! I only got Alex in this world!" Her wet gaze dropped low, as did her voice. Teardrops fell one by one from her eyes, hitting the ground.

"Kara please, I- I can't lose you. I know we've only known each other for a few days, but the idea of losing is just too painful to me and I - " Mike felt tears welling up in his own eyes and his voice cracking. He now had all Kara's attention. She was staring at him with a look of sheer bafflement. "I've never felt this way about anyone in my life. I didn't even know there were this many feelings to be had… and- and I get that you don't care about me but please, PLEASE, I beg you, let me take you away from here." He almost choked on the last words as his throat was closing up.

Mike's quivering hand rose hesitantly for her face and stroked gently with his thumb to brush a stray tear that had been staining cheekbone. He watched her staring back at him with her lips ajar. He caught her eyes flickering down to his lips and promptly felt out of breath and overwhelmed. It was as though time had halted. What he would give to taste her lips just one last time. However, the urgency of the situation they were in broke the hypnotic tension abruptly and Mike dropped his hand, disappointed at himself for letting his emotions get in the way.

"I do care about you." Kara blurted out.

Mike's mind went blank for a second, wondering if she actually meant it the way he so badly hoped. He was about to ask her but then Rufio started growling nervously, his eyes pinned to something they couldn't see and his nostrils flaring. The action made Mike push aside all irrelevant thoughts and jumped on the bike.

"Look, Alex has Nibs and he will protect her until we get to safety and find help. We'll come back and save her. Now, please will you come with me?" He spoke fast and offered Kara his hand instead of trying to force her this time.

"You promise we come for Alex as soon as we find help?" She questioned.

"You have my word." He vowed in absolute honesty without breaking eye contact to let her know how serious he was.

Kara then surprised Mike by slipping her hand into his and got on the bike with his help. He showed her quickly to find the footholds. He tried hard to ignore how tightly she was hugging his torso with both arms from behind.

Despite all the voices in his head screaming at him not to, his hand reached to cover hers over his lower chest and squeezed gently, making sure she was all set. "Ready?"

"Ready." She responded in a hollow voice with an edge of hesitation.

Mike whistled loudly to Rufio and the Raptor lurched forward, showing them a way, his tail swinging briskly as he did. Mike ignited the bike and spun it sharply on spot 180 degrees by holding the back brakes. He heard Kara gasp at the rapid jerking motion and extended an arm backward to prevent her from falling to the side. "Hold on!" He prompted.

As soon as the front of the bike pivoted in the right direction, Mike freed the brakes and twisted the right handle where the gears were located and shot them fast forward.

He sensed Kara's heart beating faster, her body beginning to shiver slightly from where it was pressed against his back and her grasp on him got even tighter. Knew she was crying again for leaving Alex behind. An act directly against her nature. Nevertheless, it had come to this and he had a duty to keep her safe. Even if that was the last thing he did.

The trees past them in a green blur with a hostile mantra of whipping sounds. Mike kept checking around for any possible dangers while keeping an eye on Rufio and his cues. The alpha Raptor's sharp senses were their only hope to get out of that labyrinth.

Mike noticed the day was starting to get darker sooner than usual due to the thick cover of clouds looming overhead. A glance up through an opening among the trees told him another storm was upon them soon. Every single thing about this day was another obstacle to their survival. He wondered probably for the thousandth time in three days, if they could really come out alive. Tightening his grip on the handles, Mike forced his focus back to the moment and shoved away all the doubts.

Rufio jumped over a large elevation easily and waited for Mike to find a way around it. Mike slowed down to change the course, driving in a U shaped track to get to the upper level, using the small flat surface where the two skewed grounds were joint and navigated them to where the Raptor was standing.

"M- Mike?!" Kara whispered into his ear, her locked hands on his body suddenly became strangling to the point of almost breaking his ribs.

Fear shot through his veins. "What is it, Kara?!"

"R- Rexy…" She stuttered and pointed a shaky finger at something to their left.

Mike followed her hand with a pounding heart and held breath until he saw what she was seeing about twenty meters away from them. It was indeed Rexy, but the crazy wasn't coming for them like he had feared. On the contrary, she was very much preoccupied, devouring a huge lump of meat, previously known as Spade the Spinosaurus. It was the most disgusting thing he had seen after the accident in the control room, when two people had gotten killed.

Rexy tore out a big piece without any care for her surroundings and chewed down on the meat, her snout dripping with the blood of her hunt. Mike's stomach churned. Judging by Kara's fast breathing pattern, he guessed she was close to throwing up as well.

"She's not seeing us. Look away, Kara." He told her in a low voice, well aware of how uneven his voice was.

As if Rufio had known all along that Rexy held no threat to them, he had been standing calmly with no signs of agitation. Mike trusted the dinosaur's instincts and controlled his nerves as he drove them farther and farther away from the horrible scene. As he had hoped, Rexy didn't even notice them, let alone attempting to chase them down. They both let out a long relieved sigh.

Soon after, the gravel road showed itself to them, indicating they were very close to the burnt down HQ building. The smell of burn was still very much strong in the air, but fortunately, there was almost no smog anymore to obscure the view.

"Oh my God…" Mike heard Kara gasp at the sight of the ruined building. "Did anyone survive?" She asked in a fearful voice.

"Almost everyone. A few guards lost their lives, as far as I know. Others got out just in time." He explained as they rushed past the singed grass and to where he had left others. Rufio started making familiar sounds which Mike knew he used when calling his brothers. Strangely, no call answered the Alpha.

The first prickles of rain hit his face, tell tales of the storm. Mike squinted when they got closer to the open field and was surprised to see a few people in black on the ground. He had expected them to be all gone according to his clear warning. Mike muttered complains under his breath, but he then noticed something was very wrong and Rufio started groaning alarmingly. Hitting the brakes instantly, Mike brought them to a full stop harshly, causing Kara's head to hit the back of his shoulder hard, making an oomph sound.

His breathing stopped altogether. They were slaughtered bodies. All bleeding profusely on the grass and beyond the shadow of a doubt, very dead.

"Mike what's goin- OH GOD!" Kara cried and buried her head into his back immediately.

Mike's heart was beating in his throat, his mind trapped into a frenzied loop. He wished he could calm Kara but he was as shocked as she was. Going against his mind which was begging him to look away, he searched among the bodies and saw they were all in black tactical suits. The five remaining soldiers, and they weren't torn like a hunt. They were just killed. There weren't any other people in sight and Mike wasn't sure if it was a good sign – meaning they have left in time before this massacre had taken place or had they met the same fate somewhere else. The big question though was, where were the rest of the Lost Boys? A sense of dread gripped at Mike, not wanting to think of the worst case scenario.

He was aware of how awfully Kara was shaking, whimpering and clutching onto him with dear life. He needed to protect them before anything else happened. Looking over to his only present protector against sharp teeth and claws, Mike saw Rufio eyeing the surroundings with his eagle eyes and constantly calling out his pack.

Suddenly another call answered from afar and caused Rufio to freeze with a stretched neck as though listening intently. Mike was completely sure that the call belonged to one of the Raptors and it held no good news.

Rufio, unexpectedly turned to Mike with a frantic look in his eyes, snapped open his jaws and gave him a loud shrill that made Mike shudder. He had never heard them make such sound.

Ace appeared, jumping out of the cover of trees and ran towards them, making the same noise again. Mike realized that this was a clear warning that it was time run. He turned the accelerator on the handle to the top notch, shooting them away from that foul field.

Rufio and Ace didn't follow, however, and kept their ground for some reason. Mike turned his head back for a second to see what was keeping them and didn't notice anything. Out of the sudden the bike started slowing down despite his hand turning the accelerator higher.

"SON OF A BITCH!" Mike cursed as the bike completely shut down. He noticed very late that the damned thing was out of gas. "Come on! Come on!" He begged the machine to do the impossible, hitting the ignition with his foot over and over in hopes of some leftover gasoline in the pipes could turn the engine back on.

His eyes worriedly glanced back to see what the Raptors were doing with their backs to them and tails twitching in anticipation. Not a second later, a mighty roar shook the air, making all the hair on his body standing on their ends. He knew Kara wasn't breathing just like him.

Mike's eyes grew wide at the sight of the huge black dinosaur, at least three times bigger than any Raptor, with shining red eyes. It was approaching dangerously fast on mortally clawed feet, with only the two small Raptors blocking its path to Mike and Kara. He had seen its picture on Winn's laptop. That was the Indominus Raptor Reign.

"RUFIO BANGARANG!" Mike yelled at the top of his lungs, ordering the Raptor into full attack mode as he had trained them under that keyword.

Rufio shrieked in response and followed by Ace, they threw themselves on Reign, each biting into the hard skin viciously.

Reign groaned loudly and tried to bite off the annoying Raptors off herself in anger. Using the distraction, Mike guided and thrust the dead bike forward, seeing how the downward slope of the hillside could help them keep going, even without fuel.

The rain was now pouring down mercilessly, making the road slippery. Mike had to be extra careful. They hadn't gone more than a few tens of meters when two large figures appeared in the middle of the road. Blocking it. Mike instantly recognized the oddly shaped Hybrids, Purity and Pestilence. It was bad. They were going fast right into them with little control over the bike. Mike hit the brakes with all his strength, yet the bike was skidding on the slick asphalt. The two Worldkillers were just standing and waiting for the pull of gravity to do the job for them and bring their hunts to them. Very clever. Purity though, seemed impatient. She opened her jaws, spreading out her freckled yellow frill like an umbrella, sputtering the raindrops and shrieked so pitch that Mike felt his ears bleeding. One of Kara's arms slipped from his body to cover her ear. If she had screamed against this assault, he didn't hear it. His inability to hear didn't matter anymore, however, because he was losing control over the bike.

Mike hit the brakes again and turned the head of the bike sharply into the side of the road, sending a prayer to God that there would be no cliffs behind the bushes or else they were done for. The bike landed on something hard and he heard a chunk of metal ripping off as it grazed a tree along with his leg, causing pain to explode in his foot, and wobbled to the other side, about to hit the ground. He knew this was the end of it for that motorcycle and going on with it meant further injury.

"KARA HOLD ON!" He shouted before letting go of the bike and jumped off it, twisting and pulling Kara with himself right before they could get trapped under the heavy weight. He tried to take most of the impact by wrapping himself around Kara, protecting her head and using his chest as the shield.

Mike heard the bike breaking through a lot of branches and plants and finally stopped moving after smashing into another tree. Its front wheel somehow had gotten detached and was still rolling away like a headless chicken before it too hit a tree and dropped flat, vibrating and spinning in the air. The sharp smell of heated plastic filled the air.

"Kara, are you ok?" He gently tapped her head, concerned for her wellbeing.

Kara tilted her head up and nodded curtly with a pale face. Both looked worse than before with more scratches and shredded cloth. They scrambled back to their feet, still numb and dazed from the fall and stared at where their hunters were coming for them with hungry eyes.

Before they could even attempt an escape though, three bodies ran past them and jumped on the weird dinosaurs, attacking them. Mike's jaw dropped open when he recognized they were the other three Lost Boys. Tootles, Curly and Prentiss. How had they even known where to find them, was beyond him.

Mike didn't waste time by standing and watch the fight and dragged Kara away with himself, limping meanwhile since his ankle had gotten hit badly. Kara's hand slipped from his and he turned to see she bent down to pick something up. He couldn't see exactly what it was because it was now close to sunset and getting darker by the minute. But he didn't ask either and beckoned her to come with him faster. What a mess. Who knew for how long the Raptors could keep the bioengineered monsters at bay. His heart broke thinking the faithful animals he had raised could get injured or even worse, lose their lives tonight.

As they ran panting on fatigued legs deeper into the cover of trees, Mike searched desperately for a place they could perhaps hide. His ankle sent stabs of pain with each step, making their progress slower than he liked even though Kara was helping as much as she could. They were going downward. Mike calculated if they were in the middle of the hill that HQ was located on top of, they had about two kilometers to cover in order to reach the sea level of the island where the main building of the Jurassic park had been built. They had stepped inside a clear space with little trees when a voice paused their movements.

"Matthews! Danvers!"

Mike jerked his head around to the male voice that had called him, very shocked at how close it had been. He recognized the voice. It belonged to no other than John Jones. Yet as hard as he looked around them, he couldn't find the man. The darkness definitely made it harder.

"Up here!" John announced and they both looked up in puzzlement and found the man perched on a thick branch high above the ground.

"John!" Mike stared at him in disbelief and huffed in astonishment. "Genius!" He muttered.

"Danvers your alive!" John said and smiled at Kara. "I knew Matthews would find you." He then proceeded to nod at Mike with admiration. Despite Mike's minuscule suspicion towards the director, he decided that there was no way this guy worked for those stinky Luthors. If he were, he wouldn't have been so happy to see them alive.

The sound of branches breaking and angry growls were heard nearer than ever then and John motioned at them to climb the tree.

Mike helped Kara find the right footholds on the wrinkled tree trunk and hoisted her up with his strong arms on her hips. She climbed slowly until she was close enough for John to pull her up to his level. She had been pretty quiet and emotionally unresponsive for the past minutes, which Mike knew was a result of her shock and didn't want to push her for it. They needed to stay alive for now, anything else came after that.

Mike then started climbing the tree on his own, faltering and sliding down when his injured ankle didn't comply. He hissed at the throbbing pain and slipped down even further, scratching his hands on the rough texture of the wood. The sounds were now getting too close. He had to get up there faster. If only his left foot would stop hurting so much.

"Mike take my hand!" He heard Kara's shaking cry and tilted his head up to see her bending down dangerously on the branch and stretching her arm down to him as long as it could go. Dark fear etched across her face. Mike threw one arm, but it missed Kara's fingers by many inches. He wasn't high enough. Kara bent even lower and John interfered just in time to hold her back and prevent her from falling in this daredevil act.

Pestilence chose that moment to make herself known by slashing and tearing some bushes to enter the field, letting out a mean roar doing so. Mike glanced at her direction with difficulty and regarded her sparkling soulless milky eyes. The Hybrid had her eyes on the prize dangling right in front of her and aimed at it instantly with wide open jaws.

"MIKE!" Kara screamed and Mike put all his might in his good foot to thrust himself upwards with arms stretched outward.

He didn't expect it to work, but miracle happened. Two hands grasped him simultaneously. One smaller and softer and the other bigger and stronger. Pestilence's sharp fangs missed his exposed legs very closely and dug themselves into the tree instead.

It all happened very fast. Mike wasn't entirely sure how he was pulled up, how he got that lucky. It took him many deep breaths to overcome the disorientation and finally realize where he was, half lying on his stomach on the branch with Kara almost on his back, holding tightly to his waist, pinning him down as if afraid that he was going to fall any moment. He could hear her every tired and panicked exhales hitting his ear shell. He shifted carefully, nudging Kara gently to let him go so he could sit properly. Kara reluctantly let go, sliding away and scooching a little to make room, yet immediately reached to hold onto his bicep as soon as he sat upright.

Down below, Pestilence kept snapping her jaws at them in irritation, occasionally jumping in hopes of reaching them, looking like an oversized nightmarish mutated hellhound barking up a tree. Thankfully they were too high for even her strong legs to jump that far. The tree John had picked was perfect.

Just then, a very injured Purity stumbled into the field, calling her sister weakly and almost falling down on her face. Her entire body was marked by large visible Raptor bites and bleeding terribly. An eye gouged out and her yellow neck frill was missing pieces. Mike's stomach sank at the sight, even though he knew well that dinosaur had meant them harm. He couldn't help it. Survival of the fittest. Rule of the Jungle. Kill or be killed.

Pestilence didn't even bat an eye for her dying sibling and kept clawing the tall tree. Two Raptors entered the scenery, clearly battered and bleeding. Mike gasped at them, searching for their third, assuming the worst and cheering silently when Curly finally arrived, looking far worse. A deep cut on his neck was leaving a bloody trail on the ground he limped on. Mike clenched his jaw at what those fake dinosaurs had done to his boys. God only knew what was happening with Ace and Rufio at that moment. He prayed they were still alive.

Without any warning, Tootles and Prentiss jumped on the wounded smallest Indoraptor. It was ugly. The two Raptors took her down and finished her mercilessly. Mike tried to look away but failed. As if only the last dying screams had finally got to Pestilence, she turned around to see the killer Raptors for the first time. Forgetting the human preys, Pestilence charged at them with vengeance and Mike bit hard on his fist to muffle a cry when long claws fatally slashed an already heavily wounded Curly across the face and he fell down with a final heart-wrenching whimper and didn't get up anymore. He knew Kara wasn't looking anymore, her head was pressed to his shoulder facing the other way, clutching at his arm and shivering.

He didn't want to watch anymore. He punched at the wood, mourning the death of the loyal Raptor with tears in his eyes. Tears of grief and anger. He wasn't alone in this though. The other two brother Raptors let out a vehement war cry and both attacked the venomous dinosaur with regained strengths. They were a blur of tooth and claws. Mike couldn't follow anymore.

Out of the blue, a new player crashed into the field like a bulldozer, changing the game. Reign stumped head first with no care for anyone or anything, forcing the fighting dinosaurs to split and watch the intruder.

Reign radiated power just as before, not a scratch on her. The giant Hybrid with ominous crimson eyes had the most diabolical aurora and Mike couldn't stop the shiver that ran down his spine at their sight. One look at her size and Mike knew that dinosaur could very well take down the tree if she wanted too. They had to keep quiet and still for as long as possible. For the first time, Mike thanked the God for the pouring rain that helped greatly in concealing their smells.

Mike closely watched the interactions between the Raptors and Worldkillers. Reign looked at Pestilence, giving her a low deep gargling sound. Pestilence in return gave out a complaining scream as though asking for protection against the two Raptors, but Reign didn't respond and instead kept walking forward to smell the two motionless bodies on the ground, shaking her head and growling in disapproval. The Raptors had both retreated, correctly evaluating the low chances of victory against two genetically enhanced dinosaurs. Reign swung her thick tail in irritation and rotated quickly on the spot, raising her head to sniff the air as though in search of something specific.

Mike instantly flinched back into the deeper shadows and his heart dropped when remembering Alex's terrified face, yelling at him to take Kara away. Reign was searching for Kara's scent. She was hunting Kara. He turned to look at Kara and only then did he realize that she wasn't holding onto his arm anymore. She wasn't even there. His stomach dropped sickeningly, thinking she had fallen down the tree somehow. Mike bent down and looked at the ground in horror. There was no sign of her anywhere. He wanted to shout out her name, but he feared of Reign finding them. His eyes desperately connected with John's who had been crouched on another branch this whole time and he stared back at him with wide eyes. He then raised a hand and pointed at somewhere behind them.

Mike turned to see where he was pointing and squinted hard into the dark space. What he saw then dried all the blood in his veins. There was Kara trudging away from their tree clumsily and almost blindly. But that wasn't exactly what stopped his heart. No, it was what he saw she was walking towards from his vantage point.

Kara was walking right into Rexy...


	17. Chapter 17: Fight Fire with x

**Chapter 17: Fight Fire with**

Kara refused to watch as soon as Purity had appeared in that horrible half dying state. She couldn't bring herself to witness the savagery or else she would have puked or worse, lost consciousness. Hanging tightly to Mike's arm and looking the other direction strictly, however, Kara couldn't stop hearing the sounds which were equally explicit. She knew the exact moment one of the Raptors died. Felt Mike tensing and shaking under her hands and her heart broke for him and the poor kind animal. She felt even worse thinking that more of them were about to lose their lives. It wasn't fair. They weren't strong enough to fight those Hybrids. Kara was filled with horror, imagining what could go down if Reign joined Pestilence. A blood bath no doubt.

"More teeth…" She mumbled her thoughts out loud absentmindedly.

Just then, a movement among the trees, some thirty meters away, caught her eyes and Kara gulped down, letting go of Mike's arm and leaned forward with a racing heart to see what it was. In the dying twilight, she was convinced that it was Reign, coming to end all the fights, but then the giant head and lack of red eyes proved her wrong. It was Rexy. Kara didn't know if that was a better alternative, but considering the mighty had just finished a decent meal, it was probably safe to assume she wasn't looking for any more food. Unless she had saved some room for dessert.

"More teeth!" Kara muttered again, glancing back at the ongoing blurs of claws and tails. Then her fingers grazed at something round and long in her jacket pocket and instantly remembered the object she had picked up while running. It was a flare. She didn't know why she had picked it exactly. Maybe she thought it could be used as a weapon and now, it was as though fate had something to do with it.

A plan showed itself to Kara like a bulb turning on in her head. An epiphany. It was the craziest, most reckless thing she would be doing in her life. Yet, it could work and it could save them all and end all this. Shoving the flare back into her pocket, Kara's mind was set.

Without bothering discussing it, knowing already that there was no chance others would agree to it, Kara started climbing down the tree in the opposite side she had climbed up. This she had to do on her own.

The two men were so absorbed in the dinosaur fight that neither noticed her leaving. Her injured shoulder made it really hard for her to not cry every time she moved it. All the events of the day surely had ripped her barely a day old stitches. Kara jumped the last meter to the ground with a thud and only then John saw her. The older man's dark eyes were scared and surprised. He repeatedly shook his head and gestured for Kara to climb back up, but Kara shook her head firmly and turned back to follow up her plan.

Kara adjusted her damaged glasses – which were relatively and luckily still in good shape after all that she had gone through – on her nose and regarded the path ahead. From down there, the rainy jungle looked very different. She couldn't see Rexy, but by conjuring the view she had seen earlier in her mind, Kara knew she just had to walk ahead. There was no way she would miss Rexy, not even if she wanted to.

She heard Reign roaring back at the field she had just left and shivered despite herself. That only helped making her more determined and added to her pace. She had to do this faster. It was now or never.

Stumbling and wobbling over the uneven ground in darkness, Kara kept going forward. She was out of breath and beyond tired. Every muscle in her body had had enough and screamed for her to stop. There was no adrenalin anymore to cover the multiple sources of pain across her body. All that was left, was motivation born from survival instinct with a tinge of insanity.

As Kara crept deeper towards the salvation that could as well turn out to be her doom, Kara thought of Mike and his confession. There hadn't been any time to dwell on it between worrying sick about her sister and running for their lives, but she knew where she stood in this. Almost. She had feelings for him too and she would be lying if she said she hadn't thought about kissing him again, and just as he felt devastated at the thought of losing her, Kara too couldn't even stand the thought of him being hurt.

Kara made a promise to herself that if they got out of all this alive, she would tell Mike that she wanted to be in his life because life was too short. That if anything good had come out of her coming to Jurassic Park, it was meeting him. That he was the kindest and most gallant man she had ever seen and that she wanted to make him happy.

As she thought it all with the faintest smile on her dry lips, dizzy attacked her, almost causing her to fall. Kara clutched at the nearest tree to keep herself upright and took many deep breaths with her eyes clenched shut. She suddenly felt even weaker than she already was. It didn't feel normal. Kara felt something trickle down her chin and swept her hand, opening her eyes only to see it was blood. Her nose was bleeding again. This had to be Pestilence's venom.

She didn't have time to think anymore, however, when the sound of branches snapping interrupted. Kara whipped her head to the direction, her head swimming in vertigo, nevertheless recognized Rexy easily. The colossal dinosaur was walking slowly, minding her own business and perhaps for the first time Kara had seen her, very relaxed. Even in the dark, Kara saw the remains of the last meal Rexy had consumed on her giant snout. Tendons were dangling disgustingly from between her teeth and her snout was still completely drenched in blood. Kara figured dinosaurs weren't good at cleaning themselves after eating.

Suddenly overwhelmed by the size of the , so imposing, Kara got cold feet and thought this had been a mistake. She questioned her stupid plan and a voice in her head yelled at her to abandon and run away while Rexy was still distracted. Another, much louder voice though, ordered to stand her ground, reminding her of what was at stake.

Tightening her grasp around the flare, Kara brought it up to her eye level with shaking hands and broke the cap, knowing there was no going back now. Her fatigue and dizzy subsided under her fierce resolution.

The flare sizzled and sparkled to life like a cracker. The blinding ruby light prevented Kara from seeing past the blaze, so she rose it over her head and stepped out of her hiding place behind the tree to stand right in front of the dinosaur.

"Hey, Rexy! You feeling like some dessert?" Kara shouted loudly, ridiculed by her own words.

The froze on spot and turned her head sharply down and aside towards the human with a dazzling red flare. Eyes instantly hooking on her and the mesmerizing flame, it proved to Kara that her plan had worked so far. That was the easy part though, now came the harder part.

Kara didn't give it any more seconds and spun around, breaking into a run. Rexy was coming alright. The only advantage Kara had was the density of trees that slowed down the curious monster on her tail. Kara did her best to avoid falling and kept going faster.

Out of nowhere, Kara saw something running alongside her and it got all of her not to flinch in fright, but then she recognized that it was Rufio. He was here at last. The Raptor gave out a weird growling sound and easily kept up with her tempo. Kara noticed the nasty gash on his face.

Momentarily, turning her head on her shoulder to check how close Rexy was, Kara was taken by surprise once more to find Ace – bearing some injuries along his body as well – running on her other side, mirroring his brother, both Raptors guarding her sides. It strangely gave her courage.

She was very close now and impossibly tired. Under the heavy sounds of footsteps shaking the ground and trees breaking, Kara had no way of finding out what was going on with Reign and the others, regardless she was about to make it. She had a hard time believing it herself.

Kara ran past the tree where Mike and John were sitting on and the trio leaped into the open field, making quite an entrance. Without difficulty, she spotted Reign by the now skewed tree, about to pulling it out of its roots. Kara's eyes flickered up to where the men were dangling vulnerably, barely hanging on. Pestilence wasn't far, busy warding and biting at the last barely standing Lost Boy.

"Hey! Pick on someone your own size, you jerk!" Kara shouted sassily at the Worldkiller in hatred.

With a frustrated cry to which Rufio and Ace accompanied with their loud growls, Kara threw the flare on Reign, marking her like a birthday cake for Rexy. The leader Worldkiller halted her movements and tipped her head towards the still shining object that collided with her charcoal body harmlessly and dropped, looking rather captivated by it.

Ace nudged Kara forcefully in warning. Kara didn't stall, completely aware how near Rexy was and threw herself out of the way and into some bushes, almost gotten hit by Rexy's tail.

The moment Rexy's eyes fell on Reign, she stopped dead and heavy silence fell over the scene as the two dinosaurs started a staring contest as if they were sizing each other up. Reign, being the smaller one for once, was the first to break the trance and roared at Rexy like an angry teenager high on hormones would at her mom for entering her room unannounced.

Rexy didn't take any of Reign's bullshit and roared back even louder. Kara covered both her ears, fearing her head was about to explode from all the ear-splitting booming sounds.

Pestilence in the meantime, apparently had felt ignored and decided to make herself known with a pitiful growl and leaped on Rexy stupidly. Rexy didn't retreat or even flinch. Quite the opposite, she swiftly maneuvered her head to where the smaller Indoraptor was about to claw and snapped her mighty jaws shut around Pestilence's neck mid-air. The revolting sound of bones snapping bounced against the trees. Kara wanted to cheer, but truth to be told, she was feeling sick of it. Kara's eyes diverted to another side, falling on the Raptors instead. She saw Ace and Rufio had stayed out of the fight and were checking on their two very injured and one dead brother.

Rexy, still holding on to Pestilence's lifeless body with her teeth, used the broken body like a baseball bat and heavily hit Reign with it. Reign growled in pain and was knocked back into some trees, taking them down with herself. Rein clearly took that as a sign of offense. Another savage bawl shook the air and the two figures clashed into each other with a thunderous sound.

Just as cataclysmic as the fight between Rexy and Spade, the violent movements and whips of swinging tails were destroying the environment, evening out trees and trampling on anything.

Rexy was pushed harshly into the half ruined tree Mike and John had been on and Kara, horrified, looked at where the men had been seen last, but couldn't find them. She watched the tree falling in terror, a hand covering her mouth and was paralyzed by the fear that her idiotic crazy plan had cost them their lives.

"KARA!"

Kara turned her head and saw Mike limping towards her with John by his side, his face contorted from the pain at his every step. A wave of relief washed over her at the sight of them.

"KARA MOVE!" Mike and John shouted at the same time.

She didn't even glance back at what was coming and crawled away as fast as her exhausted bones could carry her. She got lucky since the moment she moved, Rexy smashed into the ground where she had been not a second before, rippling the ground and sending Kara airborne. Kara screamed as she was thrown away, feeling her body flipping and almost flying.

Kara had lost the count on how many times she had hit the ground this day, probably the fourth time or maybe it was the fifth. She didn't know, but that didn't mean it hurt any less every time. This time she was sure a few ribs got cracked.

Before her lungs could compensate for the lost air, strong arms pulled her up and threw her over his shoulder. Kara blinked a few times and her eyes met the rapidly bouncing ground and the backside of two running legs upside down. She knew those jeans even in this dark. It was Mike, but wasn't he limping just now?

"Mike?" She called and tried to stop him, but he didn't hear her weak call and he had a good reason not to while trying to get away from the battlefield she was responsible for creating.

Kara attempted to see what was happening behind them with difficulty in her reversed position. John was running next to Mike and she vaguely noticed Rufio and Ace following them, jumping over logs and plants. They were putting some good distance between themselves and the danger.

Soon after the sight of destruction got hidden behind the veil of trees, Mike slowed down and stumbled. Kara patted him on the back where her suspended hands could reach and asked him to put her down, assuring him that she was okay.

He stopped, heaving, and gently put Kara back on her feet before leaning to a tree and almost slipping to the floor from the pain in his injured ankle. Kara massaged her side and looked around them. The rain had finally stopped. John was bent with his hands on his knee and trying to catch his breath and the two Raptors were also around, listening carefully to the ongoing fight.

Kara turned back to check on Mike, yet he snapped.

"Kara why the hell did you do that?! You could've died!" He questioned through his gritted teeth lips, trying to suppress a whine.

Kara rolled her eyes at his anticipated scolding, but his timing was questionable. "If I hadn't, we'd been all dead by now." Kara deadpanned.

"But –"

"She's got a point, Matthews." John interjected and Mike didn't continue, only opted to shake his head. For a moment no one talked and only tried to take a break. Kara noticed her nose had stopped bleeding again.

"We should move, it's not safe yet." John said when the sound of fighting grew quiet. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and scanned their surroundings, as if in search of something. There was no way for them to guess if Reign was now dead or Rexy had been defeated.

Suddenly the sound of a helicopter somewhere in the sky made them all turn their heads upwards in awe and hope lifted their spirits. The help had finally arrived.

"Come on! Let's get to an open field so they can see us!" John beckoned them and hurried to help Mike stand up.

The battered group stumbled and proceeded down the hill as fast as they possibly could. They made a short stop so John could bandage Mike's foot to help him walk since his movements were faltering too often. John let Mike sit down with a groan and went to look for some sticks. Mike folded up the leg of his jeans and Kara saw how badly swollen and red his ankle was above his boot. John returned shortly and knelt down by them. He used the stripe from his holster as a rope and tied them tight around the sticks Kara held fixed on both sides of his foot. Shortly afterwards they resumed their track.

As they went, they finally found the chance to catch up on what had happened on both sides while the other party had been absent.

"John" Mike called with a pant, still leaning on the man who was helping him walk. "We saw the bodies," He exchanged a quick glance with Kara and they shared a sad look, before asking, "what happened back there? Did others get away safely?"

John nodded somberly and didn't answer right away, apparently needing a moment to formulate words about what had gone wrong back there.

"We found the only working SUV in the garage and since there were too many of us, I ordered the four civilians and Maxwell Lord to evacuate first." He made a pause before continuing, ",but as soon as they were getting in, one of the guards took Ms. Tessmacher with a gun as hostage and threatened so he could get on that car to be among the first to leave. He was scared. He said something about how Luthors had promised he would stay alive and get paid if he followed their orders and tamper all but one car. I was trying to talk him down. He was getting more aggressive. Before I could do anything though, one of your Raptors," John nodded at Ace, "He jumped on the guy and almost chopped his arm off. Things got out of hand. Guards shooting at the Raptors against my orders. I tried to calm everyone, but they didn't listen. The Raptors were smart and ran away without engaging anyone else. Mr. Schott pulled Ms. Tessmacher into the car and they left immediately. I'm hopeful they've made it to Port 3 safely."

John sighed and Kara stopped herself from asking how the others had died because he wasn't finished.

"As soon as they left, those monsters showed up out of nowhere. I think all the gunshots attracted them there. We had no chance against them. They were so fast and strong, I was paralyzed. I would've been immediately dead too if it weren't for the Raptors coming back. They saved my life." He smiled at Mike weekly in appreciation and Mike nodded back proudly. The Raptors had risen to the occasion this night and saved their lives multiple times. "I ran into the tree cover, but heard two of them following me, so I climbed that tree. They left me alone soon."

John ended his story then and no one spoke for a few minutes, until he questioned them about their side of the story. Mike briefly told him about Alex. Kara zoned out as he was talking, her thoughts drifting back to her sister again and feeling anxiety gnawing at her insides. Although, now there was a glimmer of hope inside her after hearing John's recounts since it proved that the Worldkillers hadn't been anywhere near the collapsed mines this whole time. The sneaky monsters had found another way to come out, or perhaps Lillian had shown them the way. That was more likely. Either way, Kara was hopeful that Alex was doing okay.

"Ehm, Kara?" She heard Mike calling.

"What?"

"I asked if you can tell us what happened in the HQ? What did you find?"

Kara swallowed thickly, remembering Lillian Luthor's words and her parents' involvement in this whole mess. She didn't want to tell them about any of that and instead opted for a much briefer version. "Alex and I, we followed the Luthors into a secret underground lab where they had created the Hybrids. But it was all a trap. Lillian set the Worldkillers free and we barely escaped them through the old mine underneath the HQ. It was pure luck."

The men listened to her in shock. Silent fell after that and soon they made it to the main road that lead them to the Jurassic Park's main entrance building. Thankfully, some of the lamps on the way were still working after Winn had fixed the system, so they could see if something were coming for them. They kept listening for the helicopter again, praying it would return and see them soon. If only they had another flare to help them to be seen in that dark. John suggested they should be able to find something useful in the buildings ahead.

They finally made it to the pyramid shaped entrance building, right next to the Park's lagoon and Aquarium where the cloned Mosasaurus was being kept. An 18 meter long aquatic dinosaur with its shape being a cross between a shark and a lizard and an infinite appetite which made him the largest and possibly the deathliest creature next to Rexy on Isla Nublar or perhaps the entire world. At that moment there were no disruptions on the water. The marine giant was no doubt sound sleep.

The group entered in the forsaken greeting hall with a high ceiling. The last time Kara was there, it had been over flooded with parents and children; entertaining dinosaur holograms making sounds and speakers announcing directions or updates to visitors. Now the place looked so gloomy and haunted instead with litter and shards of glass covering the floor, crunching under their shoes. Kara glanced at the spiral staircases on both sides going up to the ceiling and saw that most of the triangle windows close to the roof had been destroyed or dislodged by some kind of force that Kara suspected was dinosaur related. Ones that could fly to be more specific, like Donny. Suddenly she felt they may still be lurking in the darker shadows and stepped closer to others. The two Raptors in their company had wandered off earlier for some reason and hadn't come inside. Even Mike's whistles hadn't changed their minds. He had given up. Their behavior that night was completely out of his hands.

John then claimed there was a guarding kiosk nearby and he was going to find them some flares or maybe even a car and walked away in a hurry, leaving Kara alone with Mike to wait.

Mike leaned to a counter filled with scattered leaflets to use it as a support. His hand swiped across it, causing some of them to drop to the floor in a swish. Kara's eyes followed one of them which landed closest to her, seeing a smiling Lena Luthor printed on the water damaged paper, staring at her in mockery and anger boiled in her chest, causing her hands to ball into two clenched fists. Lena Luthor was responsible for everything. She and her mother. Kara decided right then and there that she was going to expose them no matter the cost.

"Hey, Kara? What's wrong?" Mike's voice broke through Kara's fury and she looked up, finding him eyeing her with concern. She had been breathing too loudly to be discreet.

She shook her head, not feeling comfortable sharing her twisted life with him yet. "Nothing… I- I'm just angry at how the Luthors have been playing us."

Mike nodded in agreement and his eyes dropped to the same picture that had Kara all worked up. A smirk then quirked a corner of his lips upwards into a lopsided smile. "Remember when you asked me on the interview if there was something going on behind the curtains and I dodged the question?"

Kara scoffed. "Yeah, but that feels like a year ago!"

Mike chuckled dryly. "Yeah, so much's happened." He said and bent down to massage his hurt ankle with a wince.

"I'm so sorry you had to save me again back there. Carrying me all the way must've worsened it." Kara apologized, feeling partially guilty for his pain.

Mike shook his head instantly. "Nah, it's not as bad as it looks." He said nonchalantly, but Kara knew he was trying to brush it off.

An uncomfortable silence fell over then, in which they avoided any eye contact. Kara knew he was thinking about the same thing she was. His confession that he had feelings for her. She had to tell him that it was mutual. She hadn't had the time back then and now she feared she might not get the chance to be alone with him again that night, therefore she made the choice that it was time to put aside all hesitations.

"Mike?" Kara quietly called and he instantly lifted his eyes to hers, as though anticipating it. She felt overwhelmed. "About what you said before -"

"No, it's okay Kara. You don't have to say anything. I'm sorry that made you uncomfortable. I shouldn't've dropped it on you like that." Mike tried to stop her, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture.

"No, but I do care about you, more than you think." Kara said and felt her heart booming in her chest at the admission. "You have no idea how good it was to see you alive and unhurt after the Luthors sent you off. I know I haven't been in the best shape to show it until now, but I was worried sick about you the whole time."

"Wha- what?" Mike gawked at her as if he had heard wrong.

"I- I didn't think you felt the same way and I was so afraid to tell you, but it's true. I feel the same. For a long time I've been scared to put myself out there, to feel this vulnerable, since all my previous relationships were such failures, but then you came along and I- I can't help but think we make a pretty good team." A most pleasing sense of peace filled her inside out at the sight of joy shining in Mike's eye, chasing away her insecurities.

"You do!?" Mike asked with a bright smile spreading across his entire face and Kara beamed back at him, walking closer to put a hand on his shoulder. He seemed dumbfounded and unable to move under the touch of her other hand stroking the side of his muddy face.

"I do." Kara whispered softly and captured his lips with hers unannounced because she was done holding back and doubting her every move. Not after all that had happened to them. Not when she had realized how precious life became when you didn't know if you were to live another day. Not anymore. For better or worse, she was changed for it all.

Mike was frozen at first, but quickly recovered from the shock and pushed back into the kiss, sucking on her bottom lip longingly and then laughing light heartedly into their joined lips. Kara sensed how relieved he felt, the same as her. As filthy, disheveled and injured they both were, barely functioning under fatigue and stress, the passion they held for one another, powering through their kiss, surpassed it all. She was shivering slightly into their kiss from the exhilaration of it, tasting the softness of his lips and how it felt far better than she had imagined. Better than that impulsive peck in the truck, and even better than that hallucinated kiss from the medbay. She felt Mike's hand grabbing at the nape of her neck to push into her even harder and she couldn't help the soft quiet moan that escaped her at his touch. This was all she had wanted.

They had finally broken down the walls between them and nothing was stopping them.

Well, nothing except Rufio jumping through a shattered window with a pitch shriek that forced them apart to look at the distressed Raptor in alarm. They didn't need to decipher the call. It was loud and clear and left no room for mistakes. Something was coming.

Mike held tight onto Kara's arm and the couple quickly headed for the other exit, going the opposite direction Rufio had barged in.

"What about John?" Kara asked fearfully as they reached the top of the stairs that lead to the pathway occupied on both sides by the currently evacuated shops. For a place built to convey a welcoming sense into the visitors, it looked quite foreboding. It was clear that people had left in a hurry.

"I'm sure he's okay. We can't wait for him now. Come on, the Aquarium is on the other side. We've got to get there." Mike pulled Kara down the steps hurriedly with himself, but the rope on his makeshift cast broke and the damaged foot gave away. He collapsed on the stairs with a pain-filled grunt.

"Mike!" Kara tried to help him up, but he pushed Kara away frantically.

"No, Kara, I'll just slow us down! Go now!"

"NO!" Kara begged him with a sob, grabbing his hands in desperation. She wasn't going to do this again.

Mike saw the tears in her eyes and his serious stare turned soft for a second. Hands came up to cup her face. His voice was a whisper this time when he spoke. "Leave me."

Kara gazed into his stormy eyes and heard his plea, however, she wasn't about to abandon yet another loved one, thus she disobeyed him, pressing her forehead to his hard and summoned all the little strength she had left into her voice. "Never!"

She surprised herself by the power coming from this young devotion when she managed to pull Mike to his feet, throwing his arm over her shoulder and pulled him along the empty passage. Mike seemed to be too awestruck to object and was focusing on walking as fast as he could to help her. They went past the empty shops, many of them in shambles and ravaged by either the storm or loose dinosaurs. Cafes with broken chairs and overturned tables. Gift shops with torn apart stuffed animals and broken mugs. Their own forms casted eerily elongated shadows on the ruined site, courtesy of the few projectors installed over the huge pool of the Aquarium. It was as though they were the uninvited guests of a ghost town.

It didn't take long before they heard the ominously familiar heavy thumps behind them, followed by the loud sound of walls breaking. They both had to stop and glance just for the sake of seeing how much time they had left.

Reign had the perfect camouflage for dark environments. If it weren't for the red eyes, they would have had a hard time locating her. It also helped that the place she was standing on was still engulfed in a gust of dust from the rubble. Thankfully she wasn't trying to be discreet or sneaky. She liked it loud and intruding. Untrained and arrogant.

From the very short glance Kara stole at Reign, even from that some fifteen meters distance, she clearly saw the deep bite marks on her body and a nasty cut on one eye. Rexy had given her hell, but even the Queen of Jurassic Park hadn't been strong enough to take the Worldkiller down. The single open ruby eye pinned them down without any difficulties. The undefeatable Hybrid surged at them with a triumphant roar.

From the shadows on both side of the narrow path, Ace and Rufio jumped out, shrieking loudly and pounded on her. They seemed to have gotten good at this.

Mike used the distraction and pulled them into a small kiosk filled with discarded t-shirts and key chains with the Jurassic Park's emblem printed on them. He tore himself away again and Kara tried to stop him. "Mike, no!"

"No, please Kara, Listen to me!" He grabbed both sides of her head firmly before slipping his hand to her shoulders and squeezed. Kara looked at him dejectedly.

"That monster is after you! You have to go to the Aquarium. It's just a few paces away. If you follow the shops, you'll see the sign to turn left. Here." Mike slipped his keycard into Kara's shaking hands and closed her fingers around it securely before explaining, "Use this on the steel door and run to the basement. You should be safe there until this is over. Go now." He pushed her gently towards the gap behind the kiosk, prompting her to leave.

"But Mike…" Kara's voice cracked as tears now freely streamed down her cheeks.

"I promise I will come to you. I have the Raptors. Now go before it's too late!" The urgency in Mike's voice grew intense when the sound of the dinosaurs fighting came closer to them. He pushed her a bit harder into the gap this time and Kara nodded at him in sheer reluctance, lips trembling, and finally took off.

Running through the backside of shops and finding her way through all sorts of obstacles, from fallen stacks of extra chairs to cartons of merchandise, Kara let herself sob, unable to withstand the façade any longer. The sounds were getting faded with her every step. Not for the first time in that night, Kara asked herself what had she ever done in her life to deserve any of this.

A hanging sign told her to take a left to get to the Aquarium just as Mike had said and Kara did, holding Mike's keycard tighter in her palm. She found herself running along barricades guarding the perimeters of the Park's Lagoon, the water looking murky and dark. Overlooking the lagoon, in the far, was the hotel she had checked in first upon her arrival on the island. She paid them no attention and tried to find the Aquarium entrance.

That was when the same wave of dizziness from before hit Kara, only much harder this time. Suddenly the whole world was spinning around her nonstop and she didn't even realize it when she lost her balance. Her head bounced against the smooth floor and the keycard slipped out of her fingers, skidding out of her reach. She felt the warm liquid dripping from her nose. Blood, but this time it was far worse than any time before. Kara couldn't move even if she wanted to. Her body was spasming violently, simply unresponsive and shutting down. Pestilence's venom had finally gotten to her.

From somewhere through the haze of faint and dizzy, Kara saw the figures coming for her. She was reduced to an observer, trapped in a paralyzed body on the ground. She recognized her doom, Reign coming at her fast, but then a Raptor – she couldn't tell anymore which one – interrupted once more. Her ears didn't register any sound while busy insanely ringing. She watched the poor smaller dinosaur getting cast away like a rag doll, hopefully just knocked out and not killed. The black monster was about to resume its track towards Kara and she believed this was it for her. However, another figure crept into her vision, valiantly, with no regard to his own safety. It was Mike. Kara tried to scream, but her tongue felt as heavy as a rock. Only a whimper made it out. She pushed herself to her elbows, lifting just an inch with the greatest effort and saw Reign throwing him out of her way like a bug with one swing of her claw. He collided into the barricades and fell to his stomach, not rising up again.

"MIIIIIIKE!"

Kara heard her own raw cry this time, her head coming into a clear for a mere second by sheer panic. She was so beyond caring about herself at that point that she realized too late how close Reign was. Next thing Kara knew was being surrounded by shadows. A giant figure looming over her and open jaws with rows of white acute fangs, ready to devour her.

She lost consciousness before feeling any pain.


	18. Chapter 18: Aftermath

**Chapter 18: Aftermath**

Mike watched Kara leave the dank kiosk in tears and let out the breath he had been holding. Letting go of her was the hardest thing he had done in his life, yet it was for her best. Wanting to be with her when he was only slowing them down was selfish. If just one of them were to see the sunrise one more time, he would rather it be Kara than him.

He wiped away the hot tears he had tried so hard not to set free and sneaked out of his hiding place to see how close the monster was. Very close. He dragged himself out the kiosk just in time before Ace fell through with a painful whine. Mike clenched his jaw at the sight of the loyal animal's torment. Nevertheless, he had to move out of the way if he wanted to avoid Reign and Rufio's violent moves.

His last protector was in no better shape than his brother. Mike watched them from behind another still standing shop and glanced in the direction of Aquarium to see if Kara had made it. Mike's heart dropped like a stone when he saw her suddenly collapsing for no reason. Something was wrong and he couldn't understand what.

Rufio was pushed away at a moment of weakness and Reign ran ahead, picking the scent of her prey. Mike cursed loudly, yelling at the top of his lung and tried to attract her attention to himself instead, but that didn't work. The heartless beast had her mind set only on Kara who seemed barely awake at that point.

As Mike kept shouting Kara's name and limping towards her, Nibs - the only other Lost Boy left with Alex - arrived out of nowhere and answered to his master's anguished calls. He ran faster with one last growl and leaped at Reign, only to be tossed away easily and stalling the killer dinosaur for just a few seconds.

Mike didn't think twice before walking in its path, replacing his fallen Raptor. He wasn't just gonna stand by and watch Kara die. He couldn't live with himself. Reign lurched forward, not even giving him a second glance and swiped him to a side with a powerful slap that sent him flying. Mike felt the hard blow to his head and lost awareness for a brief moment.

He heard gunshots and then a deafening boom that shook the air. Rippling sounds of something sending gusts of air forced Mike's eyes to fly wide open, only to see a chopper very close to the ground. Mike gaped at it in surprise and whipped his head instantly to where Kara was, his breathing stopped, expecting to see the sight of his nightmares, yet there was no sign of Reign. Only Kara laid unconscious on her back like before.

Before Mike could do anything though, a splash of water was heard and a huge volume of water burst out of the Lagoon. He heard the otherworldly screeching sound before seeing what has dived out of the water. The enormous Mosasaurus sprout out of the water and took a hard bite at something black on the surface. With how stunned Mike was, it took him a moment to understand what the colossal animal had hunted was no other than Reign who was the one making all the nerve-wracking God awful sounds. The Mosasaurus plunged back into the water with another splash, taking his giant meal with him and disappeared deep into the dark water. It was the most bizarre thing he had ever seen in his life.

Nature had balanced itself at last by taking out all the man-made abnormalities. Mike was so stupefied that he hadn't realized he was dripping from the wave of water that had rained on him, being so close to the lagoon.

Mike scrambled to his feet, falling and then half crawled to where Kara was. He had trouble putting together what had happened and couldn't believe their luck.

"Matthews!" John shouted his name over the loud sound of helicopter blades and helped a terribly disoriented Mike to his feet. He felt terribly nauseous. He was sure he had a concussion if his double vision was any indication.

"J- John?" He stuttered when his teeth chattered, not realizing that he was shaking from head to toe uncontrollably. "John, wh- what ha- happened?" He asked him as they walked to Kara.

"I couldn't find any flares, I found this gun instead." He showed Mike the rifle he was holding I heard the fight and saw you fall. I tried to stop that monster, but the bullets didn't work. Then the chopper suddenly came. Someone shot a missile at that dinosaur and threw it into the water! You saw the rest!"

Just then they made it to Kara and Mike fell to his knees, still shaking and pulled her unmoving cold body to his chest and felt for her pulse, fearing the worst when seeing half her face covered in blood. He almost cried when a weak pulse was felt under his fingertips. She was alive.

"MIKE!"

He rose his head to the helicopter up ahead in an absolute delightful shock at hearing the familiar voice. Sitting in the chopper, holding a bazucazo over her shoulder, was no other than Alex Danvers herself. Tiger Lilly had saved them! Mike didn't know how this was possible, but here she was more than just alive. She had saved them all. She had her injured thigh bandaged temporarily - with the help of the rescue team who had found her no doubt – and was looking at them with a pale worried face. Concerned for her sister's wellbeing.

"SHE'S STILL ALIVE, ALEX!" Mike shouted at her.

John helped the two National Guards who slipped down a rope and they strapped Kara securely into a gurney. Then they helped Mike to board the chopper and they all flew away from that place and back to Port 3 where others were waiting for them. He felt very guilty to leave behind his Raptors when they needed him, but he couldn't take anything anymore. He himself was very close to collapsing again. As the aircraft floated into the night, Mike turned his pained droopy eyes from Kara, to look at Alex who glanced at him with a tired face. Neither had any energy left to speak.

As soon as their helicopter landed, they wheeled Kara, Mike, and Alex into the newly set infirmary and paramedics crowded over them to tend to their wounds. Caitlin was there too, ready to help. Mike was so shocked when he heard Alex telling her Kara had been poisoned by one of the Worldkillers. Caitlin then was quick to take blood samples to start working on an antidote.

The hangar was spacious and well equipped. Thankfully neither the dinosaurs nor the storm had touched it. They stationed everyone inside and had put up compartments to accommodate each person with partitions for sleeping and medical areas.

Since another storm was about to hit the island, the National Guard's commander had informed them that transport to the mainland wouldn't take place until early morning. It wasn't good news since Kara needed special care for her condition, but at the very least they were out of danger zone and under a roof with warm food and blankets.

Next time Mike opened his eyes, he found himself in a cot with his foot in a cast. He felt as though being hit by a bus. A big dinosaur to be more accurate. It was impossible to guess how long he had been sleeping with all the painkillers they had given him.

"Hey, buddy!" Mike heard Winn and turned his head to see him sitting next to his bed on a folding chair with a grin.

"Winn! Man, am I glad to see you!" Mike pulled his friend into a hug, but winced and had to let him go when pain erupted in his chest.

"Dude, you look terrible! I asked Caitlin. Concussion, two broken ribs, fractured ankle."

"Thanks man." Mike smirked at Winn.

"Don't mention it. Oh, you've got to tell me what happened! I heard some guards saying something about King Shark eating Reign! Is that true?! I couldn't get a word out of Jones!" Winn looked so excited with his blue eyes wide in amazement. King Shark was the name he had given to the Mosasaurus.

"I promise I will, but tell me what time is it? Are we flying soon?"

Winn looked at his wristwatch. "It's almost five in the morning. They said two other helicopters are arriving around six. So we still got like an hour."

Mike nodded and searched the surrounding curiously and for the most important person on his mind. He found three other occupied cots in that compartment. He barely remembered what had happened last night after they had arrived. In front of his cot was the typical sleeping Maxwell Lord. To his right, he found Alex in deep sleep as well. The rod had been extracted from her leg and bandaged neatly along with her head. Mike let out a relieved sigh at seeing her face not so pale anymore. The person of his ultimate interest though, was lying on his right side where his eyes found last.

He pushed away his blanket and squirmed to get onto his feet.

"Hey, Mike, no. You shouldn't be walking!" Winn warned him in a low voice, but Mike didn't listen, forcing Winn to interfere and help him stand.

Holding onto Winn's arm, Mike carefully walked the short gap to Kara's bed and took in the sight of her sleeping pale features covered with an oxygen mask and marked by stitches and beads of sweat. An IV bag was fixed over her bed, dripping a colorless fluid through the plastic line attached to the back of her hand that was laid motionless on her chest over a grey army blanket. Mike's heart broke at seeing her so ill.

"How is she?" He asked Winn, hoping he had some sort of an answer.

"She's stable for now." It was Caitlin who answered. She had just stepped inside and came over to check on Kara's vital signs in somewhat more basic ways with the extent of equipment they had there. "I don't have my equipment here to make the antidote right away, but I contacted the hospital and they are ready to take her into ICU as soon as we land. For now, I administrated anticholinesterases. That should help to restore her neuromuscular function, although it has caused her some fever which shouldn't be dangerous." Catlin explained expertly while taking Kara's temperature as both men continued to look at her lost. Either way, Mike trusted Caitlin. She was an excellent doctor.

"Mike?" He heard Alex's tired voice calling him and turned to her instantly.

"Alex!" He almost forgot about his leg in his hurry to get to her bed and Winn had to catch him before he fell. "How did you- where-" Mike stammered at her, unable to make up his mind on a single question. He hadn't found any chances to ask them last night.

Alex nodded at him and started from the beginning. "I waited there after you left, ready for them, but nothing came through the mine. Your dinosaur, he kept wagging his tail like a dog anytime I anything like he expected a treat or something." Alex rolled his eyes and Mike smirked at the thought. Nibs was always extra like that. "… So then I heard the helicopter. It was pure luck my flashlight still worked. I used it to let them know where I was and they found me right away. They had some cool big guns with them. Someone had told them something about giant monsters on the loose on the island." Alex smiled in amusement.

Mike looked at Winn. "What did you say on that message?"

"Dude, I told you my Spanish sucks! I used google translate! Who knows what it translated!" Winn defended himself.

"Anyway, I told them to look for you. It wasn't really hard to see where you were with Reign destroying the shops down there and I saw Kara on the ground and took their biggest gun. You saw the rest." Alex finished her story.

"You speak Spanish?" Winn asked in surprise since almost none of the guards spoke a word of English.

Alex shrugged. "Yeah, my girlfriend is Mexican. I learned to impress her." She said nonchalantly and the men looked at her with raised brows when the realization hit them.

"Oh." Mike simply said.

"Cool!" Winn winked at Alex and she beamed in return bemused at their chill reactions.

"Please tell us how on Earth you survived the mine, Alex!?" Mike demanded to know the answer to his burning question.

Alex smirked. "I'm not really sure how I got so lucky, but the bar I hit didn't break completely and still endured the weight of the ceiling exactly where I stood by the pillar. I just got buried. None of the rocks hit me that hard. Except for this one…" She touched her bandaged forehead.

Mike shook his head in disbelief while Winn gasped. "You have nine lives!"

No one said anything for a few seconds until Mike turned to look at Winn. "Ehm, can I talk to Alex in private for a second?"

Winn nodded and walked away right away to give them space and exited the place after Caitlin who was done overseeing Kara and Maxwell's condition. Mike took a deep breath braced himself, thinking Alex must be furious with him after how close Kara had come to death last night. He had promised to keep her safe.

"Alex, I- I don't know –"

"Thank you, Mike. I knew I could count on you." Alex said with a grateful smile before he had even begun, startling him.

"But she got hurt."

"I'm not blaming you for anything, Mike! The only ones I want to hear apologize are the Luthors! And I want them to be behind bars when they do it!" Alex claimed with a deep furrow in her forehead, showing how enraged she was. Mike saw how both her hands were balled into pale fists on each her side. Exactly like Kara the night before. Something had happened between them. Mike was sure, but they were reluctant to talk about it so he wasn't going to press them for it.

He turned back to look at Kara before returning his eyes back to Alex. "How did she get poisoned?"

Alex told him about Pestilence's attack and Mike recounted briefly all that had happened to them in exchange. It turned out there was going to be a search to find the Luthors on the island and they were still at large. With the storm raging on since the day before, it was unlikely that they had left the island.

Soon afterward, Caitlin came back accompanied with new faces in uniforms to announce that it was time to leave Isla Nublar. Mike watched the medics propping Alex, Kara, and Maxwell – the patients on bed rest – into gurneys for moving them into the newly arrived two helicopters. Four guards took Alex and Maxwell first, leaving an unconscious Kara with Mike alone for a minute. Mike limped towards her with the help of the crutch they had given him and looked at Kara sorrowfully once more, hoping beyond hope that this wasn't the last time he was seeing her.

He wasn't going to leave the Park with others. Mike was hell-bent on finding the Luthors and bringing them to justice for what they had done. He knew the Park better than anyone there and had decided to stay behind and help the National Guard along with John – who was staying as well – to capture the culprits. Besides that plan though, Mike was very worried about the Raptors left out there all injured. He could only pray to God that they weren't all perished by then. He owed it to them to try and save them. They had saved their lives multiple times last night.

Mike reached a hand and brushed a stray hair from Kara's damp face and stroked over the little soft skin that wasn't covered by the Oxygen mask. Tears pulled in his eyes involuntarily and he tried to compose himself while bending down to put a kiss on her forehead. He wished he could be by her side at this difficult time, with her life hanging in the balance, but he had to make sure the Luthors couldn't hurt her anymore. Thus he had to let go once again.

"As long as you're safe." Mike murmured against her forehead and let out a wistful sigh.

Two of the medics came back soon and took her away. She was in good hands, for now, Mike had to believe. Alex had mentioned that Maggie Sawyer, her girlfriend and a police officer was waiting for them in the hospital.

After the party had left, Mike went to find John and was surprised to see Winn in the hangar, working on his laptop. "Hey! I thought you were leaving!" He said.

"As if I'm gonna leave you alone. We're in this together pal!" Winn huffed smugly, giving him a toothy grin. Mike beamed at him in appreciation and they fist bumped.

"Come on, let's find those Lufengosaurus." Mike claimed.

"Lufengosaurus? Dude, you've got to find better ways to insult people."

Mike was about to answer him, but then John joined them and the three started working on their plan. Since Mike knew some Spanish from all the years working in the Park, he tagged along with the first search team on a truck and their destination was where he had been picked up last night. He convinced the commander to allow him to use the team and rescue the Raptors and recover the Worldkillers bodies as vital evidence.

He founds Nibs right where he had left. The Raptor ran to him in a jittery manner and Mike had difficulty calming him down. When he got very agitated in the presence of too many strangers, Mike had no choice but to sedate him. At least he looked fine.

Mike continued to look for the other two Raptor in the destroyed site and soon found both Rufio and Ace in terrible shapes, barely awake on the floor amongst the rubble. It proved to be a struggle to keep his nerves in check as he sedated them and watched the soldiers moving them into the truck along with Nibs. He had to remind the men constantly to be gentle with the injured animals. Unfortunately, these people had never even seen a dinosaur up close and had no idea how precious they were. Winn had called the Jurassic Park's special vet unit to return to the Park. Hopefully, they were to get there before noon and would help to treat the Raptors in the veterinary facilities still available and running.

The first truck left with the three Raptors back to the vet and Mike continued with the second truck to their next destination, the place where Rexy had fought Reign the previous night. This trip proved to be trickier since they didn't know if Rexy was still alive and kicking or just a huge pile of dead dinosaur. As dangerous as she was, Mike still didn't wish the glorious to be dead.

Fortunately, Winn was their eyes, watching the footage and telling them if he saw something moving. He had written an algorithm to alert him if anything moved with the help of infrared sensors installed over the island as a safety measure.

Mike was the first to step into the ruined field with broken trees. There was no sign of Rexy, just a trail of blood in her wake. Mike turned his eyes over the scene, spotting the two dead Worldkillers and then easily found what he was looking for. Rushing towards them as fast as his fractured foot allowed, Mike slipped to his knees next to the three unmoving Raptor.

He already knew Curly was long gone, yet his heart clenched painfully again at the sight of his lifeless form. Moving to the next Raptor, Mike did his best to control the shake of his hand as he touched Prentiss gently on the snout and even attempted a whistle to call him. When he didn't even flinch, Mike checked for his pulse and a devastated gasp was all that left his lips. Prentiss was gone.

Mike had abandoned all hope when he dragged himself to Tootless. He touched the Raptors neck, not expecting anything, but to his surprise, there was a faint pulse under his fingertip. Mike shouted for the soldiers to come and help. They moved all the bodies to the trucks and headed back to the dinosaurs infirmary buildings.

It was almost noon when a ferry entered Port 3 with a group of Jurassic Park veterinarians. Mike greeted them and updated them on the Raptors conditions on the ride to the facilities. They started working quickly to save the remaining Lost Boys. Mike couldn't take the anxiety much longer in that place and left them to do their work alone, stepping outside with heavy thoughts.

"Mike come in." Winn's voice streaming through his radio just like old times, pulled Mike out of his dark nervous haze.

"Hey, Winn, go on."

"We need you for the second search party here."

"I'm on my way." Mike answered and went to find someone who could drive him back. It killed him that he couldn't even drive himself. There wasn't anything else he could do for the poor dinosaurs. Now he had to focus on finding the Luthors.

As they went over the maps with Mike's help to plan their next route, Mike received a surprise call from Alex through Winn who handed him a satellite phone. Mike snatched the phone in a hurry and stepped away to talk to her in private.

"Alex! Everything's okay? How's Kara?"

"Hey Mike, not much has changed. They took Kara for the Antivenom treatment and. She's in ICU and no one's allowed to see her. Caitlin is studying her blood samples. It's too soon to tell." Mike heard the despair in Alex's voice clearly.

"How long before it's too late?" Mike asked in a flat tone, hiding his fear.

"I- I don't know… maybe a day… maybe two…"

Mike's heart dropped. He didn't know what to say.

"My mom is landing here in a few hours." Alex continued. "She's a biochemist. She will help us figure this out." Her voice grew stronger this time. "Now tell me what's going on there. Did you get the bastards?"

"Not yet. I was a little busy finding the Raptors." Mike let out a breath, pinching the bridge of his nose and decided to save Alex his own worries and tell her about what mattered to both of them instead. "We confiscated the two Hybrids' bodies for now."

"Don't let them off that island Matthews."

"Not without handcuffs, I won't."

"Good."

There was a moment of silence before Mike heard someone blurting out words in Spanish on Alex's end and she spoke again. "Okay, I've gotta go. The nurse is taking the phone from me. Let me know how it goes. This is Maggie's number, Winn has it now. You can call her if anything comes up."

"I will. Thank you for calling Alex. Please let me know if there are any changes with Kara." Mike bid her goodbye and they hung up then. Mike handed the phone back to Winn before going to gear up for the search.

The Luthor's private jet was strangely nowhere to be found and since the radars hadn't picked up any flying object over Isla Nublar since last night apart from some random hungry Pterodactyls, it had them believe the Luthors had a secret hangar somewhere on the Park.

Since joining the search team on foot was not an option for Mike, he was sat in one of the choppers, looking over the island with a headset on head, protecting his ears from the loud sounds. Mike had suggested a thorough investigation to find any other possible underground hidden passageways connected to the HQ. He had come to the conclusion that there must have been other escape routes there, after hearing about that subzero level Cadmus labs from Alex and Kara.

The team indeed discovered a well-hidden gateway a few hours later that was obviously used by the Wordkillers to exit after failing to escape through the mines. The National Guards had a few dogs with them and were using them around the site to pick on the scent of the two runaway women. It turned out to be useless since the smell of burnt and the bioengineered dinosaurs were dominant in the environment, confusing the dogs and led the group to the same field the smaller ones and the Raptors had died. Mike watched from his place in the air, imagining how his Raptors could come in handy. They were as capable as dogs and maybe even better when it came to differentiating between dinosaurs and humans. Mike's mind drifted back to the tracking training sessions with Lost Boys. They worked so well to find the targets he would hide each time in an unpredictable pattern, using various things every time. One time he even used one of the wardens and hid him somewhere random deep in the Park. They found them all without any failures no matter what it was. Nibs specifically had an exceptional sense of smell and was always the first to capture the scent of the target.

Nibs! That was it. The only Raptor still in good shape to help them in this situation. Mike didn't stall to ponder more on the idea and asked the pilot to take them to the dinosaur Vet facilities. He met Winn at the entrance, waiting for him with a GPS tracker like he had asked for through radio transmission minutes ago.

Staggering through the slide doors leading to the special infirmary, Mike called to his longtime friend and the head veterinarian of the Jurassic Park. "Amy?!"

A blond girl with a sun-kissed face – from working in the tropics – ran up to him wearing a blood-stained apron, plastic sterilized gloves on her hands and holding a pair of medical tweezers, also covered in blood.

"Mike? Winn? Wot's up?" asked Amy Wilson in her rich Yorkshire accent.

"I need you to wake up Nibs, right now."

"Ehm, okay." She agreed, although surprised.

As Amy proceeded to do as Mike had asked her, albeit with a tint of hesitation in her eyes, Winn went to fix a bug in the system Amy had complained about and he took the time to check on the other Raptors. They were all patched up and healing slowly. They were out of danger now. Thankfully Pestilence's venom had no effect on them otherwise Toothless – who had been fighting the poisonous dinosaur – would have joined the fate of his two late brothers. Mike tried his hardest not look at the two deceased Raptors hidden from sight under sheets and failed miserably.

Eventually, Amy tapped on his shoulder, bringing him out of his mournful thoughts.

"He's a'most awake. Just give him a few more minutes." She motioned at were Nibs was slowly twitching on a table. Two people were rolling him outside so when he was back in full awake mode, he wouldn't be running around the building and wreaking havoc.

Mike nodded at her with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Thank you, Amy." He said, his voice thick.

She simply shrugged with a warm smile on her lightly freckled face. "Don' mention it."

"No, I mean it, Amy. If it weren't for you here… none of them would've made it." Mike gestured at the resting Raptors with a trembling voice.

Amy blushed slightly and brushed off the compliment like the humble person she was. "Eh, it's nothin', Mike. Just doin' my job."

Mike nodded again gratefully, not knowing what else to say and shuffled away to go collect his only healthy Raptor.

"Bye, Amy! See ya later." Winn waved at her as he followed Mike and pushed a door open for him since his both hands were occupied by the crutches.

Sitting behind a truck with the Raptor, Mike nodded at Winn to hand him the tracker attached to a firm fabric band and fixed it around Nib's neck carefully while he wasn't still fully around. They transported the Raptor back to the HQ site and by then he was fully awake. They allowed Nibs to get off of the vehicle and Mike got himself slowly close to him, calming him down with some whistles and strokes.

Next, as Mike had requested, one of the guards brought him the recovered half burned coat, which he had last seen worn by Lillian Luthor and held it in front of Nibs, waiting for him to show a sign of recognition.

It wasn't long before the intelligent animal picked on the scent, his eyes growing wide and his tail swinging in excitement.

"Go get'em Nibs. They have to pay for what they've done to Kara and your brothers." He encouraged the dinosaur in a stern voice and watched him waging his tail even faster in response, before leaping into motion and running swiftly on a track only he could see.


	19. Chapter 19: Catch the Luthors if You Can

**Chapter 19: Catch the Luthors if You Can**

Mike looked out of the Chopper's window in anticipation for the hundredth time, searching for Nibs unsuccessfully. It was impossible to tell where the Raptor was from that far high, hence the GPS tracker. Mike took his eyes from outside and looked over Winn's shoulder – who was sat next to the pilot – to watch the tablet he was holding, showing Nibs' whereabouts.

"He's heading for the Aviary!" Mike shouted, guesstimating the Raptors track that was going directly towards the colossal glass dome – housing flying Pterosaurs, like Donny – which was shining under the afternoon sun not too far and approaching quickly.

"It's stopped." Winn announced, pointing at the blinking red dot on the dark screen. Mike noticed it was stalling on the north side of the dome, facing a cliff.

With the little Spanish Mike had learned over the years, he guided the pilot to land them on the helipad behind the Aviary. The pilot continued to do so as the other guard in the aircraft radioed the team on the ground that was waiting for their signal.

As the helicopter closed the distance to their destination, Mike observed the ground, seeing how a clear path could be made out along the edge of the cliff, in the restricted area of the Park, separated by tall fences. If he didn't know any better, he would say it looked like a road or a runaway for small airplanes. Or even private jets.

The moment they touched the ground, Mike unfastened his seat belts and climbed out the fastest he could and tried to find Nibs. The pilot stayed put and the only other guard present, accompanied Mike as they followed Winn, taking the lead with his tablet.

They found Nibs sniffing the ground next to the wall of the Aviary and growling deeply in frustration. Mike whistled at the dinosaur and he raised his head and briefly glanced at Mike in acknowledgment.

"What did you find, Nibsy?" Mike asked as he knelt down beside him and squinted at the dirt where Nibs started digging.

The Raptors sharp nails scratched into a metal plate of some sort and the emitted screeching noise pierced all their ears. Nibs didn't stop his movement and kept making the noise, determined to rip the metal off. Some loud shrieks also were heard as a flock of stray Pterodactyls on the trees nearby flapped away in annoyance.

"UGGH, GOD! MIKE PLEASE STOP HIM!" Winn complained and almost dropped his tablet while covering his ears.

Mike wasn't planning to add deafness to his already long list of injuries, thus he didn't need Winn to ask it and signed Nibs to stop. He, fortunately, obeyed instantly.

The group of three inspected the location and found a manual handle hidden under the thick cover of plants in the vicinity. The soldier turned the rusty handle and in answer, the ground started moving and a doorway showed itself from under the soil.

Soon three cars arrived at their location with armed soldiers, ready to apprehend the Luthors. Mike didn't wait for others and proceeded to enter the underground passage ahead of them, confident that the Luthors were waiting for them on the other side.

It was cool and far less damp in the tunnel. The soldiers projected their flashlights to allow them to see their way ahead. One of them muttered something under his breath which Mike didn't get.

"Ehm Mike?" Winn called.

"What?" Mike asked a bit distracted while focusing on what could appear in front of them.

"You forgot to tell Nibs to stay out."

The Raptor ran past the people who had cleared the way hastily and up to Mike, almost tripping him in his enthusiasm. He patted the dinosaur on the back and slowed him down so they were walking side by side.

Light gradually entered the place from the other end and it didn't take long before they found themselves in a small and crude hanger with the Luthor's sitting jet inside. There was a plane-sized gate on the other side, wide open to the cliff side. He had guessed right. The empty area along the cliff was indeed a runaway.

Mike turned his eyes fast all around the place, expecting to spot the two woman, yet there was no sign of them. He assumed they must be boarded on the jet and gestured at others to inspect the aircraft.

As they approached the jet, Mike noticed how the jet was off and its tail was facing the exit and not the other way around. He had expected the jet to be ready for taking off since they were naturally going to escape. Something was off.

Two soldiers went ahead to climb and pulled the jet's door open. They entered quickly, holding their weapons at ready, but returned very soon and claimed that it was empty.

Nibs was standing in a corner, looking rather relaxed as well as though his peruse was over. Mike went to him, seeing a pile of female clothing on the floor. They had changed their outfit to throw off their dogs or dinosaurs. Very smart.

The Luthors weren't there. Suddenly Mike's heart dropped, thinking this had been their plan all along to mislead them. They had wanted them there. An ominous notion crossed his mind. Reaching for his radio, Mike quickly called John back at Port 3. "John, come in!"

He didn't receive anything but statics. "JOHN, COME IN!" Mike yelled with his hand shaking from how hard he was holding his radio.

No answer ever came through.

"We need to get back to Port 3, right now!" Mike claimed, repeating it in Spanish for others and headed for the tunnel they had come through. The first guard kept saying something, but Mike didn't listen. His heart was pounding in his chest, fearing it was already too late.

Winn followed him closely with a concerned face. "Mike, what's happening?"

Mike winced against the pain in his ankle, but swallowed it back before answering "The Luthors fooled us. They wanted us to waste time looking for them and distracted us from what they want most."

"What do they want most?"

"The Worldkillers' bodies, Winn! They don't want us to have the evidence!"

"But John and the National Guard commander with a bunch of others are down there. How can two women stand a chance against them? Not to mention how would they want to move two cages weighing tons of kilograms on their own?"

Winn was making valid points, but his gut told him that the Luthors were quite capable of outsmarting others.

"I know what you're saying, Winn. But you saw, John didn't answer! Something is wrong." Mike said and Winn nodded in agreement.

Mike set Nibs to go free into the park for the while with his tracker still on. They didn't have the time to take him to somewhere secluded. The flight back to the new base at Port 3 felt ten times longer than it really was. Repeating the pattern of getting off the helicopter, Mike prompted Winn to hurry up ahead with the guard to see what was happening inside since he was too slow with his crutches.

His worst fear had turned into reality. The place looked deserted and the two valuable containers and the rest of the soldiers had vanished.

"Mike!" Winn called him and he staggered to where Winn was sat on the floor next to a body.

"JOHN!" Mike shouted when he recognized the man, praying to God that he was still alive.

There were no apparent injuries on him apart from the blow to his head. Shortly the older man woke up with a groan and massaged his head.

"John! Thank God you're okay! What happened?!" Mike asked frantically, wondering if they had still time to find the Luthors.

"The Commander… he works for the Luthors." John said, shaking his head. "I saw him ordering the soldiers to move the containers to Port 1. I confronted him and he attacked me."

"Port 1? The old hangar?" Mike asked in surprise and John nodded in confirmation. Port 1 was the first hangar built on Isla Nublar some forty years before and had been closed shut for ages.

"Does this mean all the guards are corrupted?" Winn asked with wide worried eyes.

"No." Mike answered instead of John. "If they were, they would've stopped us from coming back here."

"Yes, to me it looked like they were just following orders." John agreed as he scrambled to his feet. "Come on, we can still get them." He encouraged the two men and searched around for some weapon. They had taken his gun.

Mike and John talked to the guard and explained as well as they could in Spanish what was happening. He was in denial and kept shaking his head, refusing to aid them without an order from his superior. They left him be and found a jeep to get themselves to Port 1.

John took the wheels and Mike rode shotgun while Winn was in the backseat, holding onto the frame with dear life against the fast speed with which John was driving them northward.

The satellite phone on Winn's lap started ringing then. "Mike it's Maggie's number! I think it's for you." Winn said and tossed him the phone.

"Hello?" Mike answered to phone.

"Mik- … me." Alex's voice was heard a bit scratchy since they were moving.

"Alex, what's going on? Is Kara okay?"

"N-… Mike… Eliza….venom…" Alex's voice kept coming in and going out annoyingly.

"What? I can't hear you!" Mike put his index finger into his other ear to suffocate other noises.

"Pestil- … venom…" Alex shouted.

Mike bit his lower lip in irritation. He couldn't ask John to slow down now.

"NEED...PES-….VENO-…" Alex yelled louder and this time it clicked in his mind.

"I got it, Alex! You need Pestilence's venom for the cure! I'm gonna get it!"

The call completely disconnected after that.

Mike saw the wooden and weathered ancient pier of Port 1 from afar and the big fishing ship anchored next to it, looking suspicious and gloomy under the late afternoon sun. He cursed loudly, punching the console in front of him, when he noticed the ship wasn't standing still like he had assumed and was floating away from the island. They had been so close. Now the Luthors could get away with it all and Kara could never get the antidote.

John slowed down when they reached the dock. Seething in disappointment and seeing more accurately how far the ship was, Mike then came up with an insane idea. He couldn't let them go so easy and he would do whatever it took to make sure Kara would get what she needed to survive.

"John, speed up!" He said.

"What?!" John gaped as if Mike had gone nuts and slowed even further.

"Go on the piers and speed up! We can still catch them! The distance isn't much!"

"That is crazy!" John dismissed the idea when he realized what Mike was asking him to do.

"All we've been doing is crazy, John!" Mike claimed and saw how skeptical John still was, therefore he played his last card. "If we don't stop that ship, Pestilence's body will never be found and Kara will die!"

John glanced at his direction, reading the desperation in his eyes and finally relented. Gripping at the wheels tighter, he drove them onto the uneven piers and changed the gears up to four, going ever faster. Some wooden boards cracked and smashed under the tiers, but John continued. Winn who had been quiet all this time, squeaked every time the jeep shook. Mike told him to fasten his seatbelt.

The middle of the worn molded piers had a dip, caused by the decay of its pillars, making the whole path into a semi ramp that could give the jeep a perfect shooting point.

Mike set his eyes on the ship and braced himself as they were reaching the free end of the old piers. He remembered that time with Alex and Kara, going off the road and crashing into the lake. It felt like a lifetime ago.

He stopped breathing when the jeep shot into the air at top speed, leaving the ground and resembling an arrow chasing after its target, it went for the ship. Winn sure yelled as loud as he could. For a moment Mike feared they wouldn't make it, that they either were going to fall into water or make a big hole in the ship's body, but they crashed onto the rear deck like a comet colliding the Earth.

The front glass broke into pieces. Mike had covered his face right before landing and the shard of glass cut into his forearm painfully instead of his face. He hissed at the twinge of pain and turned around to check on others.

John seemed more or less okay, rubbing his chest where the stirring wheel had collided harshly into him. Winn was moaning and holding his head as though he had hit it somewhere. Mike tried to pry open the crumbled door on his side and exit the car. They had smashed into some sort of cabin. Wood and metal splinters were covering every surface like earthquake aftermath.

Mike felt nauseous and disoriented. He forgot his dependency on the crutches, which he didn't even know where they were at that moment and slipped down to the debris, waiting for things to become clearer.

Some other hurried footsteps with shouts soon were heard.

"Don't move!" Someone ordered and Mike tilted his head to see the commander of the National Guard with his ugly face twisted in anger and two soldiers on his sides aiming their guns at him from behind the jeep.

"Drop your guns!" John shouted and Mike saw him pointing a gun at the commander. It was such a bold move on his part, going against three.

Mike quickly used the distraction and grabbed the nearest piece of wood and threw it hard at the commander.

The man yelped when the projectile hit his eye and dropped his gun. The two soldiers frantically turned their rifles back at Mike and were going to shoot, but they had forgotten John who shot at their hands, carefully avoiding any vital organs. He only aimed to disarm them. Not to kill the men. The commander, however, wasn't still out and went to get his gun again. John saw him and jumped out of the jeep with a strength that awed Mike and clocked him clean under the jaw, knocking him out instantly. He took away the soldiers' weapons and handed one to Winn who was shaking slightly from head to toe, still sat in the jeep.

John came to help Mike next, bringing his lost crutch to him. Winn was looking out to see if anyone else was coming, but the coast was clear. Mike asked Winn to help John as they moved the injured men and their unconscious superior into the cargo cabin next to the one they had destroyed and locked the door on them.

The trio left the jeep made hole in search of the rest of the crew. They found five local men whom all got scared at the sight of the guns and complied instantly. They seemed to be harmless fishermen paid for a ride on their ship. John ushered them into the engine room below deck and trapped them there for the time being.

Making their way to the front main deck, they wondered where the Luthors were hiding.

"I see, you think being dramatic can get you anything." A familiar voice made them turn and look up at the bridge where the commanding room was located. Sure enough, they saw Lillian Luthor there, looking down at them with a cold disgusted expression.

"It's over Luthor! You're not getting out of this. Turn the ship around and surrender." Mike snapped at her loud and stern.

Lillian burst into laughter. "And what makes you think I would do anything you say? You are a bunch of pathetic lunatics with no power!"

John raised the weapon he had taken from the soldier and aimed it at her threateningly. "I am an officer of the law and I witnessed your involvement in everything that happened. You are responsible for the deaths of many people Luthor! You and you're daughter are under arrest!"

Lillian scoffed at that, looking unfazed by John's clear accusation and didn't even try to deny it. She made Mike sick. Speaking of her daughter, he scanned the surroundings for Lena Luthor, but she was nowhere to be seen.

The faint sound of a helicopter in the distance interrupted. They all saw it approaching the ship fast. Mike cheered inwardly and couldn't stop the victorious smile from spreading over his face. The National Guard was coming to their help after all.

"There's nowhere to run anymore, Lillian!" Mike said triumphantly.

Lillian glared daggers at him with her lips pressed together into a thin line and was about to say something, possibly offensive, yet the loud bang of a gunshot out of the sudden blew her head up and sent her rigid body falling down to the main deck like a sack of fish. The almost headless body made a revolting sound when it slammed the gunwale and slipped off the ship and plummeted into the ocean with a splash. There was still blood splattered on the deck mixed with something that must have been pieces of brain. Mike heard Winn rushing to throw up into the water.

Mike and John stood rooted to the floor with gaping pale faces, completely perplexed and not comprehending what had just happened. Shortly another figure appeared over the bridge. There was no mistake, it was Lena Luthor. She looked at them with her emotionless face, still holding the gun with which she had killed her own mother. A shudder ran down Mike's spine, watching the heartless woman smiling coldly at him.

"You killed your mother!" John asked her in utter shock.

"Stepmother!" Lena corrected resentfully. "I'm better off without her constant gibberish, rubbing Lex into my face every day!" she spat with a scowl.

"The National Guards are about to arrest you and you kill your mother right in front of us?"

Lena smirked diabolically. "You think anything you have to say can be held against me? What proof do you have? She died in an accident on the Park and her body can never be recovered. It's my word against yours, and who will people believe? Some deranged men who crash into ships, or Lena Luthor the genius entrepreneur who's lost her mother?" Lena pouted her lips and tears pulled in her eyes as she instantly feigned grief. She was a snake with good acting skills.

They all looked at her dumbfounded, having trouble to wrap their minds around all this.

"I know why you're really here." Lena then addressed Mike specifically. "Kara needs Pestilence's toxin for the antivenom."

Mike opened his mouth in absolute confusion, but no words came out. How could she possibly know about that?

"It won't work, trust me. I know." Lena continued.

"YOU'RE LYING!" Mike yelled at her. She only wanted to get away by deceiving him where he was most vulnerable.

"I'm the person who's studied every line of the Wordlkillers genetic makeup and only I have the serum necessary to make an antidote! Without it, Kara is as good as dead!"

"Shut up! You're bluffing!" Mike refused to believe her, nevertheless, the fear was already creeping into his heart.

The helicopter was very close now, the sound of its blades making Lena's voice so difficult to be heard.

"I'm not! If you let them arrest me, it will be weeks before you can get your hands on the serum and it will be too late for Kara!"

Mike's insides were completely gripped by doubt and horror. He couldn't decide if Lena was just playing a mind game with him or there was truth behind what she was claiming. How could he decide with Kara's life was in the question?

The helicopter was now hovering right above them and a voice through a megaphone was demanding in Spanish for the ship to return to the island.

"Mike, what are you thinking?" John's question drew him out of his thoughts.

"John, I…" Mike stuttered, indecisiveness pouring out of his voice.

"We can't let her walk free! She's lying!"

"But what if she isn't!? What if they take her and we never get that serum Kara needs! What if Kara dies because of my decision?" Mike ran his hand anxiously through his hair. He couldn't decide.

The guards were repeating over and over for them to do what they had asked. Mike couldn't understand exactly what they were saying, nor was he paying attention anymore.

He was going to give in. Justice be damned. He couldn't risk Kara's life. Mike raised his head to Lena. "WHERE IS THE SERUM?" Mike shouted at Lena over the loud noises in the surroundings.

Lena opened her mouth to answer, but suddenly a screeching shriek interrupted as s giant orange and green blur swooped in out of nowhere and took Lena with it into the air.

"Oh my God! That's Donny!" Winn gasped in horror and pointed out in the sky where they saw the stupid Pterodactyl had Lena trapped between its lethal beaks and was flying back to the island with her.

Lena was flapping her arms and legs in sheer panic and screamed loudly. She grew limp and silent when the greedy dinosaur undoubtedly broke her neck.

Mike couldn't comprehend what was happening around him anymore. He assumed at some point John had freed the sailors and they turned them back to Isla Nublar. He found himself being dragged off the ship and into a car and only came around when Winn was patting his shoulder, holding a phone to him. He was back in Port 3, sitting on a wooden box.

"Winn?" He croaked.

"It's Alex. She's asking for you. Should I tell her you're not well?" The tech genius regarded his friend's pale face in concern.

"No, I- I have to talk to her." Mike shook his head and reached to get the cell phone.

"Mike? Did you get it?!" Alex's nervous voice filled his ear.

"Yes, Alex. We've got Pestilence's body."

"Thank God! My mom is hopeful. She said with the pure sample of venom she can make a cure."

Mike hummed in agreement, unable to bring himself to tell her what Lena had said. It was still unclear if she had lied. Maybe Eliza was more capable than the Luthors thought and they didn't need that serum anyway. He couldn't put the same fear into Alex's heart as well, thus he kept quiet about it and decided to take the burden alone.

"How's Kara doing?" Mike asked next.

"They've put her in an induced coma when she had another seizure. Their labs here aren't advanced enough for the procedure. We're transferring her to National City General with the next flight in the early morning tomorrow if all goes well with the embassy since most of us have lost our passports. We need the venom by then. Will you be coming with us?"

Mike nodded, but remembered Alex couldn't see him. "Yes, I will bring you the sample myself."

They continued to talk about the timing and as soon as they hung up, Mike asked Winn to drive him to the vet facility again. They needed to fetch Amy to extract the venom from the dead dinosaur's fangs for them.

Afterward, they had to collect some necessary and important personal belongings, including their passports, for returning to the States. Fortunately the cabins Mike and Winn lived in on the island were intact and they managed to find their stuff exactly where they were. In the meantime, John had successfully negotiated with the Costa Rica authorities and American embassy to arrange an emergency flight for the group due to Kara's circumstances.

It was past eleven in the night when Mike was finally settled in a chopper, holding the small valuable package to his chest, with Winn sitting right next to him as they flew to the hospital where Kara was. He was beyond tired. Hadn't caught a blink of sleep since the day before, hadn't eaten a proper meal for almost three days and the pain in his left foot and ribs had come back with a vengeance. Not mention the new cuts on his forearms that stung continuously. Nevertheless, he didn't care about any of them. All he needed at that moment was the assurance that Kara could be saved.


	20. Chapter 20: Matthews' Four

**Chapter 20: Matthews' Four**

Mike must have fallen asleep despite all his resolutions because Winn had to wake him up when they landed on the hospital's roof.

Maggie Sawyer was the first person to greet them upon arrival on the second floor. She grabbed the small bag from Mike and rushed to bring it to Eliza and Caitlin. The nurse on that wing was kind enough to check on Mike's injury again, changed his bandages and offered the men beds to rest for the few hours left until the flight. Mike went out like a light bulb the moment his head hit the pillow.

He met Eliza for the first time on the ride to the airport. The group of eight were in a van, followed by an ambulance carrying Kara. Mike and Winn were surprised to meet Barry and Eve again who had decided to return to the States as well on that early morning with them.

It was absolutely hectic at the airport. With Maggie pushing Alex's wheelchair, Eliza and Caitlin looking over Kara's status as the medics rolled her gurney towards the right gate and others trying to catch up and not losing their luggage as they boarded the exclusively arranged flight for Kara to National City.

The eight-hour flight itself turned out far better than Mike had expected. Even though he was never used to sleep on planes in that uncomfortable position, his body under the heavy effect of painkillers, urged him to sleep and he listened. There wasn't anything he to do anyway. He slept soundly through most of the trip and Winn once more had to wake him up as they were preparing to land.

It was around 1 pm local time of National City when they stepped out of the airport. An ambulance was waiting for Kara and Eliza mounted the vehicle to be with her adoptive daughter on the ride to the hospital.

The group split there. Eve and Barry bid them goodbye after exchanging numbers, while the rest went to the hospital. Kara got wheeled into ICU immediately once again and Eliza went into the labs along with Caitlin to continue working on the antidote. Mike was beyond anxious, thinking about the yet hypothetical Serum. What if the scientists couldn't make the antidote without it? What if his hesitation right now could cost Kara her life?

There was absolutely nothing for Mike and others to do except waiting. No matter how much Maggie insisted, Alex refused to go to their apartment and rest. Alex, in turn, suggested the two men were welcome to stay at their place, however, Mike knew the couple probably had Eliza to stay with them, therefore politely declined the kind offer, and claimed he and Winn were going to a hotel.

Mike would have wanted nothing but to stay at the hospital, but his mind was all over the place. He needed to get a hold on the situation as much as he possibly could. He needed to know if the Serum really did exist and where it was.

He and Winn crashed at a cheap three-star hotel near the city center and spent the day checking their phones obsessively for any new messages from Alex.

Winn still had his laptop from the Park with him, but unfortunately, nothing on the cloud he had saved from the Cadmus secret files contained a clue about the Serum. If any information had ever been registered, it was buried deeper than that.

After a long call with John, who had stayed behind on Isla Nublar to take care of the Park and protect the Hybrids' bodies for later persecution, Mike entrusted the man with the mission of finding any information on the unknown substance, starting by retrieving still working hard disks from the ruins of Cadmus. It was decided that John would need the help of Amy to make sense of the data.

While waiting for their friends on the Jurassic Park, Mike searched the news to see how the world was reacting to all that had happened on Isla Nublar. Many of the last visitors had been busy giving juicy interviews, half lying, half exaggerating what they had seen on the Jurassic Park to get attention and money. There were gossips and unbelievably far from the truth circulating the media and there was no mention of even Maxwell Lord, let alone anything on the Luthors' death. No one had even the tiniest clue about what had been going on in the Park. All they had seen were a bunch of dinosaurs on the loose. He darkly thought maybe that was for the best. People were better off not knowing the horrors that had taken place there.

Almost a day later, when the two friends were having lunch in a deli near their hotel, Alex called to give updates. The antidote made by Eliza and Caitlin was just given to Kara and they were waiting for a response. Mike prayed constantly that it would work fine and Lena Luthor words had been nothing but lies.

A second call soon afterward from Isla Nublar brought them new information. Amy and John had found an entry under the subject of venom with a code as the filename. The only data in the folder had been a list of dates, unidentified to what relation, all located in the labs of L-Corp in National City. There was a strong probability that the Serum was there, the same city they were in. What were the odds?

The next few hours, waiting for any news from Alex was torture. Mike tried to distract himself by discussing a plan with Winn to find out if the object in the L-Corp was for sure the Serum and how they could get a hold of it without breaking too many laws. Their ideas lead to nowhere and eventually, Mike couldn't take it anymore and grabbed his crutch and jacket. He was going to the hospital. Winn tagged along wordlessly.

They found Alex in the waiting room with her injured leg resting on a chair in front of her and bags under her eyes. Mike wondered if the agent had even gone home since they had landed. Evidently not since she was still wearing the same clothes.

One look at her teary eyes and Mike knew the antidote hadn't worked. Mike sat silently on the seat next to her and covered his face with both hands. He should have known it was always going to end like this.

Eliza met with them moments later with downcast eyes. She explained the complications she had found. "The poison contains a rare radioactive form of the noble gas Krypton called Kryptonite. It's killing Kara's cells rapidly from inside. We have formulated the antidote, but her body's repulsing it. We need an extra ingredient that would act as a bonding agent to force her body to accept the medicine." Eliza explained.

"You mean it's like a Serum?" Mike mumbled in hesitation.

"A serum? I'm not sure that's how they call it, but I guess so." Eliza shrugged wearily.

"How much time does she have?" Everyone suddenly grew tense when Mike asked the question.

Eliza didn't meet anyone in the eyes, stalling by fidgeting with the papers in her hand. "Less than two days at this rate..."

Alex clung to Maggie with trembling lips. She rubbed her back in sympathy with a forlorn expression.

Mike didn't say anything to anyone as he scrambled to get back to his feet and got out of the hospital as fast as he could. No one tried to stop him. Winn followed suit and easily caught up with him.

"You're going to break into L-Corp, aren't you?" Winn said matter-of-factly.

"Yes, will you help me?" Mike stopped to look at him in the eyes.

"Do you even have to ask?" Winn sounded offended. Mike gave him a faint grateful smile.

With Mike's injured ankle the mission was going to be extra tricky, therefore they needed more help if they wanted to do this and there were only two people whom they could reach and trust at that moment. Eve Tessmacher and Barry Allen.

The two young researchers instantly agreed to help them without any hesitation and soon there were the four of them in Eve's office in National City University, Physics department, working on a sophisticated heist plan. They were going to achieve the impossible by hacking the world's best known impenetrable security system of the L-Corp and if anyone could do it, Mike believed Winn, Eve and Barry were those people.

It took them until very late into the night to get every detail of the plan right. Everything was ready for tomorrow morning.

Exactly at 9:57 AM, Barry Allen entered the L-Corp lobby and used his clearance – since he was technically an employee of the L-Corp - to get past the security guard with no trouble and into the personnel elevators with a few other people, under the excuse of submitting some documents for lab research.

About five minutes later, Mike dressed in a blue flannel with a red bowtie and a fake pair of glasses on his face, entered the lobby with a limp and the security guard instantly stopped him as he tried to get past the counter and towards the elevators. The man in the grey uniform approached Mike with a frown.

"Sir, you're not allowed here." He said decisively.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Mike said as he feigned a dumb look. "But I was told I can get a prostate for my leg here." He gestured at his foot in a cast with the free left hand.

The guard stared at him baffled and ridiculed. "D- do you mean a prosthetic leg?!"

Mike slapped himself on the forehead with a loud chuckle. "Ah, that's it! Yes! I keep confusing the word!"

"Dude, your slaying it! Keep going! The Flash is in position!" Winn's voice streamed through the tiny piece in Mike's ear, using a code name for Barry. He was sitting in the back of a university property van across the street with laptops and equipment – also borrowed from the University - ready to hack into the company's server.

The man gave Mike a weird look and offered an awkward smile as if he was dealing with a retarded person – just as he had wanted. Mike pretended his crutch slipping down and threw himself on the man in front of him, practically hugging him. His eyes darted quickly behind the guard where Eve ran inside quietly and scurried into the staircase unnoticed. The man immediately pushed Mike off of himself and gave him back the crutch. Mike repeatedly blurted out apologies. "Oh, I am so very sorry for that my good man, how clumsy of me!"

"Sir, you need to show me an ID or the name of your responder, otherwise I will have to ask you to leave right now. If you resist I will call the police."

Mike raised his hand in alarm and acted frightened. "Wow, nope! No police! Sorry for the trouble." He stumbled back towards the exit and added with a wave of his hand, "Have a good day, good Sir!"

Mike walked a few steps away from the entrance along the sidewalk so the guard couldn't see him and leaned to the cement wall. His face instantly changing from a blank grin into a serious one.

"Did you get it?" Winn asked.

"Got it!" Mike confirmed and looked down at what he had been hiding between his palm and the handle of the crutch. A security card he had just picked from the guard's belt when he toppled himself on him theatrically.

They had planned beforehand that the guard's security card was needed to grant them passage into all sorts of locked doors or elevators.

"Awe and some!" Winn cheered. "Now give it thirty seconds for the Flash and Bunny to work their magic!" From an inside joke, it was decided that Eve's code name to be the Bunny. Mike's code name was Red for no reason other than the fact that it was his favorite color and he didn't like code names.

Mike stood in the shadows, waiting for the signal to enter the building again. Through their heavily crafted planning, they found out that the L-Corp system would be the most vulnerable when under a critical situation. Like when on fire, which Barry was going to create a small one on the ninth floor by burning a paper and holding it up near a smoke detector.

The complication, however, was that the building would automatically go under lockdown on the labs, server room, and top floors to protect important locations and the elevators would shut down as a safety measure, which was needed to be working if they wanted to access their desired location faster. That was where Eve came in. With her electronics background, she was going to rewire some circuits to manipulate the system and implant a chip that would let Winn inside so he could take over the rest. The timing was everything and they needed Winn to first find the location of the Serum and then cut off the sky scrapper's connection to the fire department, before Barry set off the alarms, so the firefighters wouldn't be coming over and interrupt the heist immediately.

And in the end, the chaos of the evacuation was the perfect distraction that would give Mike cover to get himself into the elevators without anyone seeing him.

"The Serum is in Lena Luthor's office on 30th floor!" Winn suddenly claimed. He had used the same serial number John and Amy had found on the island for the search.

"Of course it's there…" Mike muttered under his breath.

"Here we go!" Winn gave the green light and Mike heard the loud alarm and people starting to exit fast. "Flash you need to move fast, a guard is coming!" He informed Barry, before addressing Eve, "Bunny you're clear."

Mike was hearing their communications and wasted no time to enter the building again, going against the current of people and bouncing into them, almost falling. Everything was working perfectly. The guards were too preoccupied and few, thus he got into the elevator easily and rode it to the thirtieth floor without any troubles. Eve had done her part perfectly. The sound of alarms was turned off by the time he reached the destination.

The hallway leading to the CEO office was deserted. Mike limped all the way through the quiet path with a racing heart, imagining soon he would be holding the serum in his hands and take it to Kara. He thought of the thing he wanted to tell her first and for most. All the words danced in his head, too many emotions. Hope and fear, entangled.

"Red, wait for Flash and Bunny." Winn said through the comms.

"No! There's no time. I'll get the Serum myself." He dismissed with the shake of his head and continued. So many things could go wrong if they waited too long.

Mike reached the office door and touched the pad next to the door with the stolen security card. It didn't respond in any shape.

"It's not working!" Mike informed Winn.

"What? Let me check." Winn said before going silent for a moment.

"Come on, come on, come on." Mike muttered as he leaned his head nervously to the door frame. Any second they lost could increase the chance of getting caught.

"How about now?" Winn asked and Mike tried the card once more.

It blipped green and Mike laughed. "Yes!"

"Told ya! They ain't calling me Mr –"

"It's asking for fingerprints!" Mike burst Winn's bubble and stared at the screen blinking ready for a hand shaped scan.

"How? I just deactivated it!"

"PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR AND STEP AWAY FROM THE DOOR!"

Mike turned instantly and was saw a security guard, pointing a gun at him. He had no option but to listen. Winn was saying something in his ear, but he wasn't listening anymore. He assumed this was it. He was going to prison and Kara would die. He refused to believe that.

Thanks to his military training, Mike had very fast reflexes in situations like this and the guard didn't even have time to blink before the gun was snatched from his hold and was pointed at him instead.

The man looked at Mike with terrified eyes. Before he could do anything else though, a second guard rushed in with another raised gun. Mike was desperate and couldn't think of a way out of this.

Unexpectedly, the office door behind him slid open and a strict female voice made everyone pause. "That's enough." She ordered in authority.

Mike staggered back, startled as he saw the woman standing in the doorway, her chin held high, hands on her hips, delicately curled dark hair cascading down her shoulders and looking almost majestic. Recognition hit him like a wave.

"M- Mother?" Mike uttered under his breath as he took in the sight of the woman in a tight dark dress. A mother he hadn't seen for about ten years.

Rhea pierced Mike with her sharp eyes, her face cold and unreadable as ever. "Come inside, Michael." She commanded, not asking.

Mike did as was told, still very much stunned to think clearly. He couldn't understand what his mother was doing there of all places. The Gands - Rhea's family - were in the business of entertainment. Clubs, casinos, even movie production. But those were just a cover for the hidden worldwide chain of drug deals they were orchestrating. Mike knew about it for years. His parents – mostly his mother, since his father couldn't care less what he did – had expected him to run the business like them. Instead, as soon as Mike turned 18, he left the big mansion he never felt home at and with that, he left his family, never looking back and cutting all ties with them.

He changed his last name and signed up in the army. The only option to stay away from his family. He served the military for over four years until he found out what he really had passion for in life and after endless months of hard studying and applying, received admission into Metropolis State University and left the army. Not even once it crossed his mind to ask his parents for any help even when he had no money for rent and had to sleep at the bar he worked at. He earned his money with honest jobs, not the dirty money Gands considered their legacy. He detested his heritage.

As far as he knew, there were no connections between the Gands and the Luthors. The only things they had in common were being rich and narcissistic. Then again, he had been gone for too long. Things must have had changed.

The door slid shut behind them, hiding the two astonished guards from sight and giving them privacy. Rhea went to sit gracefully on the chair once - not that long ago - belonged to Lena Luthor. She looked as if she owned it, like everything else in her life, like how she believed she owned him.

"Mother, Wh-" Mike started, but Rhea cut him off.

"I assume you're here for this." Rhea said and picked up the little glass bottle sat in front of her on the transparent desk and shook it at Mike's direction enticingly.

Mike's eyes grew wide as he stared in disbelief as the bottle filled with a colorless liquid.

"How did you…" Mike trailed off, unable to process how Rhea could have possibly known what he was looking for.

"I have eyes everywhere Michael! Did you forget?" Rhea gave him her famous disappointed look.

"Did you help the Luthors to fund the Jurassic Park?" Mike asked, dreading the answer.

Rhea put the bottle back on the glass – quite aware of how Mike's eyes followed it – and smirked. "Now you're asking the right questions. Yes, where do you think all the stupid merchandise, the hotels and shops came from? The Luthors? No, they don't know the first thing about what people want. If it weren't for us, that place would've been nothing but another boring museum. We made it what it was. And then there was Lena, the girl with mommy issues who decided to replace me for Lillian. Good choice." She smirked. "She told me all about her secret projects."

"You kept tabs on me?" Mike felt disgusted. He had never been free of her. All his freedom had been nothing but an illusion.

Rhea nodded with a bemused expression. "You think just because you abandoned your family, I wouldn't want to know how my son was doing?"

"You don't give a fuck how I'm doing! You just want to make sure I'm keeping my mouth shut about all your dirty secrets!" Mike barked at her, his face contorted in fury and his fisted hands shaking slightly under the pressure with which he was holding himself back.

Rhea shook her head at him. "You can never run from who you really are, Michael. You're a Gand. That fake name you chose for yourself won't change anything."

"I'm nothing like you!" He spat in hatred.

"You're right, and you will never be like me." Rhea shrugged nonchalantly as she stood up. "But let's not get off track. I don't have time for your existential issues." She grabbed the bottle once again.

"Give it to me!" Mike said imperatively, not wishing to sound intimidated even the slightest by his mother.

"I would, I have no intentions in standing between you and this girl you suddenly care oh so much about. I am not heartless after all!" She put a hand on her chest, pretending to be aghast that Mike had assumed her to be a cruel person. Yet she never moved to offer him the bottle either. The coldness of her eyes nullified her words.

Mike looked at her dubious face, reading the manipulative wicked intentions behind it. "What do you want?"

Rhea's lips quirked into an ugly victorious smile which made Mike's stomach churn. That smile had nothing good behind it. He had seen it enough times to know so.

She pushed an unlabeled bright blue file in his direction. Mike glanced at her one more time hesitantly before opening it. He wondered what could he do for her that none of her minions couldn't.

There were only two papers inside. The first one was detailing a failed expedition mission that had taken place over 13 years ago. The destination of the mission was mentioned in the shape of a geographic coordinates '12°S 78°E' which Mike guessed was somewhere in South-East Asia. Mike read the short report that explained the team of five people had never been found or heard from ever since, all considered to be dead. As for the purpose of the mission, there was only a code number. Mike failed to see what Rhea was asking.

He continued to the second page where the team members' names were listed with their pictures. He didn't recognize any of them, but his eyes stopped dead on the third name. 'Jeremiah Danvers' He stared at the dark-haired, middle-aged man's picture, trying unsuccessfully to find any resemblance to the Danvers sisters. He had the same brown eyes as Alex. thought.

He wasn't even sure if there was a real connection, but it couldn't be a coincidence, Mike just knew it. He kept his face straight as he looked back at his mother.

"What's this? I don't need riddles right now. If you're ears and eyes in the walls have done their job right, you should know I am in a hurry."

Rhea rolled her eyes. "If you had paid any attention, you would've seen that this highly classified mission was arranged by Lex Luthor. The mission object 87264 is an ethereal substance called the Harun-El. The locals claim it has come from outer space on a comet that has crashed into this coordinate. Most likely an island that isn't on any map-"

"Are you fucking kidding me? You want me to go fetch you this imaginary rock no one has ever heard of just because the Luthors had been after it, on an island that isn't even charted!? If you didn't know mother, Luthors are crazy more than being right." Mike scoffed in ridicule and pushed back the file back on the table before adding, "or should I say were. I assume you already know, since you're here."

"Do not interrupt me when I speak!" Rhea scolded Mike before continuing, "As I was saying, this element that contains power more than anything else on Earth. I want to have it before anyone else.

Typical Rhea Gand hungry for more power, he shouldn't have been surprised. He didn't even need to ask why she was there. With the Luthors out of the picture, dead or in prison, she was going to take it over, devour it to quench her greed.

"Why me?" Mike questioned.

"You have experience with such out of ordinary environments. What happened in the Park only proved my point why you are the right person for this mission. I trust you to bring me this treasure. You are family after all, whether you accept it or not. I might even forgive you for turning your back to us."

Mike didn't want to do this for her and had no need for her forgiveness. This was obviously a very dangerous trip to an unknown location in search of some mythical object. He stared at the bottle rolling between Rhea's fingers back and forth. If he had been standing a bit closer, he could simply grab it away easily and erase the problem altogether. What he hadn't realized though, was his mother's scrutinizing dark eyes, studying his face.

"And if you're thinking of trying and take this by force," Rhea strode quickly on her luxurious high hills into the balcony beyond the tall windows and held the bottle over the ledge, nothing under it for a hundred meters. Mike's heart skipped a few beats.

"Okay, Okay, I'll do it! Whatever you want, I'll go to this island, I'll get you this rock. All of it! Just please just don't drop it!" Mike relinquished.

Rhea stepped back inside and approached him purposefully slowly. Mike reached for the Serum with a held breath and Rhea slid it into his palm. He instantly wrapped his fingers around the cold bottle securely. He couldn't believe he had finally gotten it. His only fear was that it wasn't the real serum, however, the bottle looked perfectly sealed and from all he had learned throughout the years living at the Gand mansion, he knew that his mother was a dealer, not a fraud. She always delivered the product or service in return for the payment. He prayed this was still the case.

"I'll be in touch to discuss the arrangements for the mission." Rhea claimed and Mike merely nodded.

Mike retreated towards the door, having no desire to stay in that place a second longer, and wanting to bring Kara the cure as soon as possible. No guards were in view. Rhea had called them off.

As he rode the elevator back to the ground floor, he finally found the chance to go over all that had transpired. There was a fundamental flaw in Rhea's deal. He already had the Serum. How could she force him to go through with the mission now?

Crossing the street and to where Winn, Barry and Eve were waiting for him in the van, Mike realized Rhea must still have a winning card she hadn't revealed. Trepidation filled his thoughts, yet he pushed it back for time being. He needed to save Kara first.

* * *

She was standing alone in a bright golden wheat field, captured by beautiful green hills. The sun was sending powerful warm beams over the land, touching every surface, waving through her free long tresses, kissing her face and bouncing against the white loose dress she was wearing. Her eyes wandered from the clear sapphire sky onto the dry floor she was standing on. She was the embodiment of peace.

Walking aimlessly on the track stretched in front of her, she reached to feel the gentle silky texture of crops under her fingertips. She wasn't sure for how far she continued in that state, nor did she minded it. She was fine doing just that for eternity in this solitude. Time had no meaning in this reality, neither did her name. She just was and that was enough.

Her relaxed steps came to a halt when a second presence tugged on her senses, resembling a flicker coming to life. Kindling notions. It felt strange. She blinked into the horizon and a figure conjured at far. Curious, she walked towards it with a hand shielding her eyes from the intense sunshine.

She approached timidly, pulled forward by an unknown force. She tried to perceive the sensation, digest it. Half excitement and half hope, but never fear.

The tall man was standing with his back to her so she couldn't see anything apart from his short brown hair, his broad back covered by a white shirt and his legs clad in khaki pants. Without her asking, as though he had heard her, the man slowly stirred and her eyes instantly zoned on the soft stormy grey irises. She hadn't realized how close she had been standing to him until she felt his tender hand tucking a stray lock behind her ear. The blinding smile spread on his bearded features sent her heartbeats erratic and fast. She didn't understand why.

She didn't recognize him, nevertheless, there was this itch she couldn't scratch. This faded dreamlike memory which the harder she tried to summon it, the farther it slipped her mind. Feelings exploded in her heart, overwhelming her. She still could not find the sequence or even a name. There were just feelings. She shut her eyes closed against the whirlpool of emotions.

"Kara…" He whispered and her mind stopped spinning.

That was it. The key to her mind lock, the center stone of her identity, her name. Opening her eyes slowly, Kara gazed up at his kind beaming face. Involuntarily tears gathered in her eyes as her heart yearned and remembered, yet her mind was slow to provide her with a reason or even his name.

His hands cupped her face and soon their foreheads were touching, breathing the same air.

"Wake up, Kara." He murmured and she couldn't understand the meaning.

"Wake up." He repeated in a louder tone. Holding onto her shoulders firmly, his eyes grew sharper and clearer.

Kara felt her entire body vibrating, buzzing and then shaking in his arms. Her tongue was unable to form any words. Something was happening.

A swarm of harsh wind attacked the field, ripping away the crops, sucking them up into a tornado. Sun suddenly disappeared under the clouds that had appeared out of thin air and her world was crumbling and falling apart. She was terrified.

Yet the man in front of her was constant and fearless. As fierce as from the beginning, he kept onto her and repeated the same words, but she couldn't hear her anymore over the crackling sound of thunder ripping the sky apart.

With no logic guiding her through this chaos, the only salvation was figuratively and literally staring Kara in the face and so she reached forward and smashed her lips onto his because that was what her heart ordered her to do while her mind was spiraling like the landscape surrounding them. He was the only thing that had remained. She remembered his name by the taste of his love.

"Wake up." He said once again as soon as their lips separated and Kara understood then.

She opened her real eyes.


	21. Chapter 21: Lost Boys Like Me Are Free

**Chapter 21: Lost Boys Like Me Are Free**

Kara opened her heavy eyelids with effort more than it normally took and had to wait a bit for her awareness to come around. Her entire body felt as though made of steel or glued to the mattress beneath her.

"Is she awake? Kara, can you hear me?"

"Give her a moment, Alex."

Kara had to focus very hard to recognize the voices and as soon she placed them as Eliza and her sister, Alex's face appeared above her.

"Hey, you! Welcome back!" Alex smiled at Kara warmly and she felt herself returning it, even though it made her face hurt. Why did everything hurt?

"Hi…" Her voice sounded far weaker and hoarser than she had expected. Even her vocal cords felt soar.

Eliza emerged next with an exhausted, yet happy face. "How are you feeling, dear?"

"Tired." She wheezed in confession. All she wanted to do was to go back to sleeping when she didn't have the energy to even remember what had happened or ask where she was.

Eliza nodded in understanding and Alex compassionately gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. Even her soft touch hurt.

"That's ok, sweetie. Go back to sleep." Eliza encouraged her.

"Mike…" Kara slurred as the mirage of him was still fresh in her mind. She felt worried for him, yet didn't know the reason.

"He's right here." Alex looked at someone to the left, but Kara was too feeble to even turn her head even if she wanted to. She didn't need to though as the man in question came into her field of vision merely a second later.

"Kara!" Mike gasped and despite her drowsiness, Kara saw the tears in his eyes. He took one of her hands in his, a thumb brushing the backside soothingly. She felt his touch burning her skin with how warm they felt against her cold body. It felt good. It felt safe.

"Mi..Mike…I-" Kara drawled, struggling for more words but the, pull of sleep was too strong to fight. Her eyelids threatened to close.

"Shhh…" Mike shushed her. "We can talk later. Rest now." She only heard him as her eyes fell closed completely. Kara swore she felt something hot touching her forehead, but she was already knocked back into deep slumber before she could figure out what it was.

The next time Kara woke up, she felt much stronger. The soreness was still very present, yet mentally she felt more like herself. She could now understand she was in a hospital and judging by the darkness inside the room and outside the window, it was late. But how late, she couldn't tell and there wasn't anyone around her like the first time. The only light sources in the room were the dim lights on both sides of her bed. Kara looked at her hands now that she had the power to actually move them. An IV line was attached to one and on the other, a blood pressure sensor was clipped to her index finger.

She was too busy taking in all the equipment surrounding her that the soft snore from the left corner of the private room almost made her jump. Kara squinted into the darkness and made out a body uncomfortably napping on a chair. Kara had a few guesses who it might be, although the ebbs and flows of the breathing and the snores instantly shortened the list as she recognized it as a male and left her with only one name.

"Mike?" She called quietly, but the man flinched awake as though she had shouted it.

"Kara?" He called back as he shuffled to come to her, but slowly. Kara saw him scrambling for something before standing and made her confused with his slow pace and the unfamiliar sound of something hitting the floor with his every step. She didn't put it together until he was near enough for her to see he was walking with the help of a cane.

"Your foot!" Kara stated the obvious, but doing so, jogged her memory to the events just before passing out.

"I'm fine, Kara. Don't worry." Mike said in assurance.

"Reign! She was on top of me!"

"She's dead."

"How!?"

Mike didn't reply immediately as he reached the bed and leaned to it. He seemed hesitant as if he didn't want to start telling a long juicy story in such late hours.

"How, Mike?" Kara pressed, needing to know how she was alive.

"Alex sorta shot her with a missile." Mike finally said.

"What?" Kara looked at him blankly. "Alex is okay?" She fretted when disturbing memories of the last time she had seen her sister flooded her mind.

"Yes, of course. I promise she's fine and she can tell it much better later, but -" Mike shook his head dismissively and changed the subject. "How are you feeling? Are you in pain? Do you need anything? Should I call someone?" Mike rambled on, his eyes jumping from her face to the monitors and back to her hands. He was a nervous wreck.

"Mike, calm down." Kara chuckled and tried to reach for his hand, but the restrictions on them didn't allow her. "I'm okay." She said softly.

Mike regarded her skeptically for a few seconds, before his shoulders relaxed and he sighed in relief.

"So is it really over now? Are we even on the island anymore?" Kara scanned the room for any indications to tell her where they were. She was certain the Park didn't have any hospitals.

"Yes, it's over for good this time and no, we're in National City."

"Wow! National City? How long was I out? I think the poison got me real bad." Kara recalled the terrible nose bleeds and how her body had become paralyzed in last moment.

"It did, you were very sick Kara…" Mike's voice suddenly faded and he paused before continuing, "It's been a tough week, but Eliza and Caitlin saved you."

Kara nodded and watched his hand coming up to rub his clearly sleep deprived and unshaved face. He turned to stare out of the window, lost in his thought. The anxiousness in his posture and eyes were annoyingly palpable. She sensed that he was keeping lots of things to himself and the things he had told her was just an oversimplified version. Silence fell over the dark room for a moment.

"Mike, are you okay?" She asked in a small voice.

Mike tilted his head to smile at her and nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay." He offered his hand to her and she gladly accepted it with both hands, enjoying its delicious warmth.

"Are you cold?" He noted and put his cane away to add his other hand and enveloped her hands with his bigger ones. He was practically sitting on the bed now.

"A little." Kara admitted.

Mike retracted his hands - much to Kara's protest - to retrieve his cane and went to the other side of the room to bring her another ticker blanket. He draped it on top of her thinner blanket and pulled it up to her chin before resuming his previous position. Kara giggled at his sweet attentiveness and sought his hands again.

"What?" Mike smirked at her while letting her use his hands as a heater and lacing their fingers together.

"You're a Carebear." Kara laughed despite herself at his confused face. Even in his untidy state, Mike looked as hot as the first time she had met him.

"You're high." Mike shook his head with a grin.

"Maybe so, but you're cute. Too cute for a dinosaur trainer. I noticed that right from the start." Kara went on without stopping. The drugs definitely had made her unfiltered.

Mike scoffed and inched closer to look at her. "And did you write that in your article, Miss Danvers?"

Kara couldn't help but raise her hand to touch his face when he was that close. His beard was thicker than before and she liked it. "You forgot that I never got the chance to finish that interview, Mr. Matthews." With his face in such easy reach, Kara's eyes darted to his lips and back to his inviting deep grey eyes. She was suddenly out of breath.

"Then maybe you should interview me again." His lips were almost touching hers when he said that.

"I most certainly should." Kara said and closed the tiny gap between them.

The kiss was a short one, nonetheless as passionate as their last. Mike pulled back, Kara's lips followed his in hypnosis.

"Is everything alright?" A voice interrupted and Kara saw a young nurse standing in the room. "I noticed you're heart rate changing." The girl explained and gave them a shy smile when she realized what had caused the palpitation in Kara's heart.

"Y- yes, thank you. I- I'm fine." Kara stammered, a little embarrassed.

"She's feeling cold, is that normal?" Mike, the overprotective man he was, asked the nurse after Kara's small discomfort.

The nurse nodded and came to check Kara's temperature. "The doctor said it is normal at this stage." She looked between the two before adding, "But the patient needs to rest now."

Mike nodded. "Of course, yes."

The nurse left after turning on the heater blanket and making sure everything was in order.

Mike turned to Kara and chuckled when found her pouting. She had so many questions. "It's late. We can do all this later." He said.

Kara sighed and nodded in agreement. "Will you stay?"

"Always." He caressed her face before pulling back to return to his original place on that uncomfortable chair.

Kara had half a mind to point out how hard it must be for him to sleep in that position, but kept quiet when thinking the alternative solution could make the nurse coming over to check on her again. Her treacherous heart would rather out within seconds. In contrast to what she expected, sleep came to Kara again easily. Being warm under the effect of drugs knocked her out in a matter of minutes.

The next day brought Kara more visitors with flowers. Winn had even gotten her a little green teddy which she instantly fell in love with. It looked completely opposite of what Rexy was, with its tiny soft hands and big innocent black button eyes, yet Kara decided to name her after the queen dinosaur.

Alex, Maggie, Eliza, Caitlin, even Barry and Eve came over to see her and Kara couldn't believe how the horrible events in Jurassic Park had gifted her with so many new friends and then there was Mike who hadn't moved from his side. Eliza had to scold him to leave every once in a while to at least get something to eat. They told her how worried he had been the whole time.

Winn was the one who filled in the gaps for her. From the Raptor's heroic acts to the Luthors' gruesome deaths – although not very detailed. From Alex's badass rescue to them bringing Pestilence's venom so they could make her an antidote. Kara had missed out a lot, nevertheless, she was glad it was all history now.

"Hey, whatever happened to Maxwell Lord?" Kara asked after the only person whose fate hadn't been mentioned.

"We left him in Costa Rica. He's under the custody of the National Guard until Interpol can bring him here." Maggie explained.

"I never found out what Rexy did to him. Does anyone know?" Kara asked the room.

Winn raised his hand. "I heard he lost his right hand."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Kara's jaw dropped and turned to look at Mike who had an equally surprised expression. She knew he was thinking the same thing she was. In their time being held captive by Maxwell Lord, all those days ago, while they were talking about Peter Pan, Kara had labeled Lord as the Captain Hook of the story. Now he had to go lose a hand to prove it even further. What were the odds?

As they were chatting, Mike received a call that left him looking rather troubled.

"Hey, who was that?" Kara asked, looking at him pocketing his phone and biting his lip.

"It was from the Park. I need to fly back, so many dinosaurs need help. I need to check on the Raptors too." He explained and Kara

"Was it Amy?" Winn asked and he nodded. Kara had no idea who she was.

"She said the eggs have hatched!" Mike added with a smile.

"Dude! For real?" Winn exclaimed.

"Wait, eggs? What are you two talking about?" Alex beat Kara in questioning this confusing conversation between the two men.

Mike was about to start, but Winn interjected. "When we were on our way to that lab to fix the system, Daddy Dinosaur here found some defenseless dinosaur eggs in the woods and went all Momma Hen on them. You should've seen how he was fussing over them."

Kara burst into a fit of laughter, so hard that her bruised ribs whined in protest, yet she couldn't stop the image of Mike sitting on dinosaur eggs. Tears sprinkled in her eyes.

Mike was pinching the bridge of his nose with closed eyes, but only to hide his wide grin. "Why am I even friends with you, I will never know!"

"Cause I debug your computer, plus you love me." Winn smugly replied.

"Yes, but in my defense, those are the FIRST natural eggs! Not cloned eggs!"

"Ah, I wish I could see them!" Kara sighed, wiping the happy tears and laughter still bubbling in her chest. One would assume after everything that happened to her, she would have had enough of dinosaurs, but the thought of seeing baby dinosaurs was too magical to dismiss so easily.

The nurse came inside to tell them that the visiting hour was over and slowly everyone started leaving, except for Alex who wanted to stay for the night even though she needed crutches like Mike to walk and was ordered to be resting.

Mike came closer to say goodbye as the last person.

"How long will you be gone?" Kara asked him, a little sad that he was going away.

"Not long, maybe a week. I'll try to be back as soon as possible." Mike answered, holding her hand and squeezing it gently.

"Okay, but you still owe me an interview. That is if I still have a job." Kara added the last part doubtfully.

"Yes, ma'am." Mike smiled at her and bent down to peck her lips before whispering something into her hear so Alex couldn't hear. "But we're gonna be doing so much more than interviewing, Kara!"

Kara burst into laughter once more at his insinuation and slapped him on the shoulder. He bid her goodbye and left in this good spirit. It took her a while to control the cackles.

"So, you and Mike, huh?" Alex's question pulled Kara out of her thoughts.

"Yes, me and Mike." Kara confirmed and rolled her eyes at Alex's ridiculous sniggering face. Her usual look when she prodded Kara for her dating life.

"He's a good guy." Alex said with a serious face which Kara hadn't expect at all. She had never really approved of anyone Kara had been with.

"He is." Kara agreed.

"You like him."

"Duh!"

"No, you reaaally like him. Like I've never seen you smile like that."

Kara blushed and smiled even brighter. "Like what?"

Alex pointed at her face. "Yeah, exactly like that!"

She shrugged, not meeting Alex's eyes and instead looking at her broken nails. She really needed to trim them sooner than later. "Yeah I like him a lot." She admitted quietly.

Neither said anything for a moment until Kara spoke again.

"I was so mad at him for separating us, but you made him do it." She said, recalling that painful moment. They had had no opportunity to discuss it since then.

"It was necessary Kara. I asked him to do it and look, we all made it. It's no use thinking about it." Alex explained.

"Never push me away like that again Alex, never." Kara's voice broke as tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably. It still hurt so much, just being reminded of the abandonment. It had felt as heart-wrenching as losing her parents, maybe even worse.

Alex instantly came to wrap her arms around Kara and rubbed circles on her back. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry. I will never do that, Kara. I promise."

The two sisters held each other close for a long while and let their tears heal the scars on their soul. Kara felt much lighter afterwards, as though a weight had been lifted from her heart.

Two days later, Kara was released from the hospital and was fine enough to slowly restart her normal life which felt so foreign to go back to after the bizarre experiences she had in just span of two weeks. In the following days and without Mike around, she found out she still had her job despite her greatest fear. Everyone at CatCo looked at her in awe, as if she were a ghost. Snapper though wasn't that impressed. He still wanted an article and a bigger one this time. She had so much work to do.

Eliza had explained her treatment needed her to receive regular injections of the antidote for the next month, every three days. A week after her first shot, Kara was completely healthy and could go back to her routines.

Mike's trip had extended to one more week. He called every day and talked to Kara. Winn had been with him as well. The two were working hard to secure the Park. No one believed it would reopen any time soon, if ever. They only wanted to make sure the exotic animals were safe and sound. One time they face-timed and Mike introduced her to Amy Wilson, the blond veterinarian with a cute smile. She was holding four whining red baby dinosaurs. It was surreal.

Kara really missed Mike even though he had been a very recent addition to her life. It was as though her life had changed forever because of him and what they had gone through together. She couldn't wait for him to return, but she was concerned about how they were going to arrange things between them as Mike didn't live in National City. She decided to put away all thoughts until Mike was back. In the meantime, she busied herself by starting to write the biggest article she had ever written.

* * *

Mike watched the four remaining Lost Boys, roaming around their old sanctuary freely, still not completely healed. They had a long way before coming back to their usual fast and energetic selves, although they never sat back and rest either. It wasn't in their nature. Mike had to control them so they wouldn't aggravate their wounds. Amy Wilson had complained about that when Mike had first arrived at the Park.

"I'm tellin' you Mike, they don' listen to me." Said Amy as she redid Ace's stitches for the fifth time. The Raptor was staying still under Mike's gaze so the skillful vet could work on his left leg. "I even gave them those treats they like, but no. They're as stubborn as their daddy!" Amy added when she finished and snickered at Mike.

Mike face-palmed and laughed apologetically. "Yeah, sorry. They never listen to anyone, not even me sometimes." He said and they watched the Raptor running away when Mike released him with a whistle.

"Okay then, goin' back to feedin' the hatchlings. Brilliant! You just had to make more work for me, didn't you?" Amy claimed with her hands on her hips, but Mike knew she was being sarcastic. She was having the time of her life with those baby dinosaurs. She had become their surrogate mother and had even named them. They were three boys; Lar, Goldie and Malcolm and one girl named Perdie.

He ducked his head in response. "Ah sorry again, but shouldn't we have returned them to their parents by now?"

"You Betta! But I swear no one on this entire island is brave enough to go anywhere nea' those two crazy Coelophysoids in the southern zone. It's a Bullring down there. I reckon they wan' their babes back."

"But I am." Mike said pompously and Amy rolled her eyes at him with a smile.

Winn, Amy, John and a bunch of wards gathered when he took the four hatchlings to the worried parents who kept circling their sanctuary with angry growls. Mike had captured the two rabid dinosaurs earlier that day.

He walked inside cautiously, holding a carrier with the babies in it. The two big dinosaurs hissed at the human intruder, showing their teeth. Mike raised a hand and advanced very slowly. He put down the case carrier and carefully opened the lid. The hatchlings stepped outside one by one, trotting forward funnily. The girl Perdie wasn't as fast as her brothers in joining them and remained inside.

It didn't take long before the adult Coelophysoids started to come closer to sniff the tiny things. Perdie finally gathered the courage and peeked outside slowly and curiously.

Mike took the chance to back away and exited the place. He watched them interact from behind the fences and heard others on the higher level cheering loudly when the parents accepted the hatchlings and started licking them clean from human smells. A broad smile covered his face at the sight. He may had lost two of his Raptors, but every ending was a new beginning. That was how it went. The circle of life.

They asked themselves how this could have happened. How these two male Coelophysoids had reproduced, but further investigation in the lab proved that one of the dinosaurs had changed its sex at some point and made it possible for them to lay eggs.

Mike knew that since the DNA sequences of the dinosaurs couldn't be completely salvaged from the rare blood samples found inside ancient mosquitoes preserved in ambers, the genetic engineers had to fill in the missing parts of the genome with frog DNAs and the particular frog species used for recreating the Coelophysoids DNA was a West African bullfrog which had the ability to change their sex in a single-sex environment, allowing the dinosaurs to do the same. That was it. Life always found a way.

The amount of work needed to be done was overwhelming, there were bodies to be disposed of, sick dinosaurs to save and structures to rebuild or mend. They never managed to retrieve Lena Luthor's body, but they sure found Donny perched on a tree somewhere near the Aviary, looking even fatter than before. Mike didn't even want to fathom why.

Rexy was doing better than had they first imagined. The queen evidently was made of much stronger stuff. Nevertheless, she was bearing some ugly wounds that needed attending. It took six wardens, John and Mike to put her under double dose sedatives.

The work seemed endless, however, the natural hatchlings had given people hope in doing their job and by the end of that week, things returned to normal at last. Finally, Mike could return to National City and to Kara. He couldn't wait to see her. He was over the moon to hear she was healthy and doing well.

On his last they in Jurassic Park, Mike spent as much time as he could with the Raptors. He wasn't sure if he was ever coming back to see them again. He had resigned from the job because he would be working for his mother if he stayed and he resented the idea. As much as he loved this job, something much more profound inside told him that this chapter of his life had come to an end and he wanted to do something else in his life. Preferably closer to Kara.

The Raptors were in good hands, spending their life in peace and no one to order them around or ogle at them anymore. They didn't need Mike, although he wasn't certain if it was also true the other way around. His heart was heavy, yet he believed that it was the right decision.

Mike fed the Raptors one last time as he individually bid them goodbye. He stood in front of Tootles - now missing actual teeth and one claw partially nerve damaged from the massive fight. He patted him gently on the head, wishing him to have a long quiet life far from any other harms. The survived dinosaur closed his eyes against his hand and gurgled gently in answer as if sensing this was the last time he saw their master.

Next was the bubbly Nibs. He twisted around and circled Mike in his usual giddy manner, playfully tugging on the pack of treats in Mike's hold until he relented and gave him extra treats. He scratched his head and laughed at the wagging tail. He was going to miss this guy.

Ace was napping and seemingly reluctant to wake up. Mike kneeled next to him, stroking his head, carefully avoiding the newly healed wound on his snout. The rebellious Raptor cracked his eyes open eventually and stared at Mike in scrutiny with his clear amber eyes. He blinked once at him before going back to his sleep. Mike knew he was well aware of this goodbye, but he was acting indifferent to look all mighty and wild. Deep in his ancient savage heart, he was gentle and caring.

And last but not least was Rufio. The Alpha Raptor stood tall when Mike approached him, as though saluting him. Mike saluted back at him, with tears barely held back. He didn't know if he could ever thank this fierce warrior enough for what he had done that night. All of them.

Rufio let Mike pat him one last time and made his all too familiar purring sound just to indulge him one last time. "Goodbye Ruf'. Look after them when I'm gone, ok?" He murmured to the clever dinosaur, hoping this could bring them closure. Rufio merely blinked in response. Mike didn't need any further signs. He knew without even him saying it; the alpha would always protect his pack.

He walked heavily towards the exit with a sigh, lingering in the doorway and taking in the sight of the Raptors for one final time, committing it to the memory. It was time to go. Winn was waiting for him at Port 3.

As he and Winn were waiting for a ferry to show up and take them back to the mainland, Amy kept them company. She and Winn spent a few good minutes discussing their usual latest Doctor Who headcanons like the two nerds they were.

When the ship announced its arrival by a loud horn, it was time to say their goodbyes.

Mike shook Amy's hand and tried to thank her for all the help in the past three weeks. "I owe you a lot Amy Wilson. For saving so many animals besides the Raptors. For being my friend all these years. You are an amazing strong woman and so good at what you do, caring for others, whether people or dinosaurs. Never change." He claimed before stepping away from an awestruck and utterly flustered Amy Wilson.

"Oi Mike!" Amy shouted when they boarded the ferry and he looked at her down standing alone on the ducks. "Stay outa trouble, will you?"

Mike laughed at her. "I'll try, but they keep finding me."

Amy shook her head. A second horn signaled the departure and the two men waved at Amy one last time before she left to get back to her important job.

Mike stared into the horizon where a dying sun had bathed the ocean in orange shade. Back to National City now.


	22. Chapter 22: Interview

Kara greeted Mike and Winn at the National City Airport with a radiant smile, a bouquet of flowers and cups of coffees. Her once again rosy cheeks and bright sapphire eyes made Mike's heart flutter. She was okay.

"What a gentleman!" Mike said cheekily and pulled her into his arms to kiss her grinning lips lovingly like he had wanted to for the whole two weeks. The way Kara kissed him back, made Mike think that the feeling was mutual.

He lingered in their embrace after the kiss, nuzzling into her neck and reeling in her scent as if he had known it all his life. She felt like the home he had been searching for. It should have been strange to feel this close to someone so soon after meeting them, but it felt right. It felt safe, thus he didn't dwell on it any longer. Logic played no role in this.

The entire next two weeks, Kara spent all her spare time showing the city to Mike. They were practically dating every day and neither mined it the slightest. Kara even insisted that he was welcome to stay at her loft instead of the hotel, but Mike feared it was a step too soon.

As expected, the FBI approached each of the group who had been on Isla Nublar and called them in for questioning on separate days. It wasn't that grueling, but they had to answer lots of questions, mainly about the Luthors. Despite their death, the investigation was ongoing and they were working with Interpol to conduct it overseas. Mike and Winn, in particular, had to go in for an extra day since they were the first witnesses on the scene. In the end they all had been given a card with contact information so to let them know if anything new came to their mind and Kara had to swear not to publish any of the sensitive material used in the case until the court had decided to release them to the public.

Mike was with Kara when she got her very last antivenom injection. Eliza was very optimistic and said that Kara should be fine from then on since according to Kara's blood test, her system was cleansed completely. Nevertheless, he couldn't suffocate the pessimistic voice in his head reminding him constantly of the deal he had made with his mother. It was looming over him like a dark cloud and he didn't know when and how it would return to bite him in the back. He assumed Rhea would be calling any day now.

He gave the interview he owed Kara on the same day he got rid of his cast and could walk normally again. They celebrated by going to their now favorite Café called Noonan's near the Catco building. Kara finally managed to ask him all the questions she needed for the article without any interruptions while enjoying their ice Lattes.

They hung out at Kara's place for the rest of that day, watched some of the musicals she so dearly loved and gushed about, cuddled under a blanket on the couch with lots of popcorns. Mike couldn't remember the last time he had felt this cozy with someone in his life.

Kara ordered their favorite Hawaiian pizza and as they ate in front of the TV, Mike asked Kara if he could use her laptop to check his emails. He was waiting after an important work-related email. Instead, he found an email from Amy Wilson in his inbox. There were two videos attached with a text from her, explaining how things were going well on Isla Nublar. The first video was of Amy herself playing with the baby dinosaurs who had grown so much in the span of just a few weeks. Two of the boys were perched on her shoulders and one climbing her leg, while she tried to entice them with treats so they would stop biting and plucking out her hair. The little girl dinosaur called Perdie unlike her brothers was acting very civilized, quietly playing with a yellow ball on her own. Kara squealed at the video, sitting next to Mike on the couch, thoroughly charmed by the mean little things pestering the poor Vet.

The second video though was an old one Amy had found on her laptop of Mike and the Lost Boys. The moment Mike played it, his heart sank at seeing the six tiny Raptors circling him, and all eyes fixated on the prized dead mouse he was holding up in the air. He remembered that day clearly. The hatchlings were less than a month old and this was their very first training day. They had to complete a simple task to earn the treat he was holding. The task was the most basic one. Move and stop when he whistled. Mike glanced at Kara who was watching him in the video with eyes filled with wonder as he explained what was happening in the video. Her hands were clasped over her chest as she adored the small Raptors each in turn and was absolutely immersed in the short documentary.

The training had been a disaster, of course. The hatchlings all jumped on Mike after one of them - which Mike was pretty sure had to be Ace - had growled and took away the prize by tipping Mike over without even doing a single task. Mike was giggling and squirming hard on the dirt as their soft claws tickled him and occasionally groaned when they bit at his fingers too hard.

He watched himself chastising them afterward – too gentle to be taken seriously – and then sitting up to hug all six of them together, swaying them lightly with a broad smile on his lips. It was fascinating to see one day all six of them fitted in his arms so easily. Mike's eyes froze on baby Prentis and Curly and his chest tightened painfully. He realized then that he had never found the time to even mourn them with all the impending works he had been too preoccupied with.

"Mike?" Kara softly called as soon as the video ended. She had been watching him closely and had noticed the dark shadow of sadness suddenly casting over him. "You miss them." She remarked as she wrapped an arm around his shoulder in sympathy.

"I'm fine." His scratchy voice betrayed his words.

"It's okay Mike. You can't will yourself not to feel anything. You have every right to feel the way you do. You raised them. You loved them. You lost them and you are allowed to grieve them." Kara said and ran her hand up and down his arm soothingly.

Mike turned in his seat, looking into her compassionate eyes, riddled with worry and pulled her into a tight embrace, burying his face in the crook of her neck with quick exhales. His eyes burned with tears he was unwilling to set free. He felt vanquished by strong waves of nostalgia and memories, hitting him in rolls. He didn't fight them anymore and let the tears come in presence of Kara.

Lost for words to thank her for helping him through this, Mike only clung to Kara even harder and she returned it. He would never let his mask disappear in front of anyone before Kara. Not even alone, had he ever felt safe enough to be broken even if just for a moment.

Kara held him for as long as he needed to, caressing his head resting on her shoulder tenderly like the affectionate lover she was, until he withdrew slowly. Her hands then traveled to cup his face, her fingers brushing the remaining tears away before she put a kiss on his cheek.

Mike gazed into her infinite eyes that could hold the entire galaxy. His whole heart and mind was swelled to the point of bursting from the immense admiration and gratitude he was feeling for this woman and the overwhelming need of showing her his love somehow. The words failed him now, hence he brought up his hands to touch her face hesitantly at first. She didn't make a move to pull away and dropped her own hands from his face instead as though giving him the lead. Mike took that as the sign he needed and leaned forward and captured her sweet warm lips with his own. She returned the kiss instantly, pushing into it with fervor and encouraging Mike to deepen it hungrily.

He bit on her bottom lip gently, stroking it with his tongue and Kara immediately granted him permission by parting her lips. His hands supported the back of her head, their tongues shared a waltz as Kara fisted the front of his shirt and pulled him with herself to lie down on top of her on the couch.

Their kisses grew messier and excited heaves broke through the tense air surrounding them as touches became more curious. He tugged at her top, in need of more skin and she instantly obliged by pulling it over her head and discarding it on the floor. Mike's hands automatically reached for her bare silken skin and touched her flat stomach. She started shivering under his fingertips with promising gasps and grew even more intoxicated by it. Kara laid back down, her face glowing red and breaths shorten with quiet moans, pausing very briefly as though waiting to see what Mike was planning to do next. Before letting himself go any farther though, he reminded himself the importance of controlling the intense lustful urges that were burning him from inside out like volcano and easing into it for their first time. He still didn't know if Kara wanted to take things as far as his mind and body so desperately yearned for. They had never gotten that far before.

Her hands were tangled in his hair, her limbs shaking slightly under the open pleasure she was receiving from the siege of his lips roaming the exposed skin of her chest. Her hands traveled down, frustrated with the layer of clothing blocking her access to his skin and slid further down to the belt holding his shirt tucked. Her hands started working to free him from it with little effect so he intervened to help.

When only underwears were left on them, Mike stopped the procession of numerous kisses on Kara's collar bone with great difficulty and prepared to ask her if it was too much for her.

Their dark dilated irises met, faces too close, gulping down the same air. "Kara…" He murmured against her lips.

"Take me to my bed." She whispered the answer before he even had the chance to ask. She already knew what he wanted to ask.

Mike nodded in reply and waited for her to fix her hold onto his shoulders before pulling her up into his arms and carried her to bed.

As he had promised, they did much more than interviewing that night.

So much more.

* * *

Mike gently stirred awake. Even with his eyes closed, he could feel Kara's presence next to himself. Her warm solid body pressed into his side and her light breathing pattern was in perfect sync with his heartbeats. He kept his eyes closed like that for a little longer and slid his fingers across the unimaginably smooth naked skin of her back, up into her golden silky mane. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt this peaceful. He didn't know what he wanted to do now with his life, or how it would be like from now on, but he knew that he wanted Kara to be a part of it.

Memories of their euphoric night together came to life in his mind, and Mike had to rein in his emotions and his body, not to start reliving it just then. It was no denial that their first time together had been one of the most satisfying experiences and now he didn't think he could ever stop wanting Kara. All of her.

"I love you." The words rolled off his tongue in a whisper without even him realizing.

"Hmmm?" Kara's hum broke Mike's train of thoughts and he cracked his eyes open to see her half sleeping face resting on his pillow, their faces merely centimeters apart.

They were in her bed and the traces of their last night activities, discarded socks, pants and t-shirts were scattered on the carpet and the sofa.

Mike's heart skipped a beat, thinking she had heard the three words, but she was still too drowsy to have understood him. Not that he didn't believe in what he had claimed – he, in fact, hadn't been this certain about anything else in his life - yet he was doubtful if they were that far in their relationship.

Without being able to stop himself, Mike leaned forward and pecked her nose with a chuckle. Kara's eyes fluttered open and she blinked a few times unfocused until her comet blue eyes found his grey ones and she cracked a smile as a beautiful blush tinted her cheeks.

"Hi." She murmured.

"Hi." Mike said, smiling at her brightly. When she kept staring at him with unsaid words hung right behind her eyes, he wrapped his arm closer around her shoulders and asked, "Whatcha looking at Ms. Danvers?"

"Oh nothing Mr. Matthews. Just looking at Daddy Dinosaur."

Mike groaned ashamedly and hid his face with the other hand. He heard Kara bursting into laughter, so heartily and infectious that he felt uncontrollable laughter exploding in his chest as well.

"I'm gonna kill Winn for that!" Mike complained and made a mental note to get back at Winn for this.

Kara buried her face into his naked chest and continued to giggle. She was out of breath and pink as cherry blossoms.

After their laughs subsided followed by a long kissing session, Kara squirmed in his hold to look over his shoulder at the clock on her nightstand, next to where Rexy's doll was placed now. "What time is it?" She asked.

Mike tilted his head backward to read the old fashioned clock upside down. It was near eight in the morning. He pushed away the sheets covering them and gently unwrapped his arms from Kara. He was wide awake and in need of a shower.

"Don't you want to get up?" He asked when Kara didn't move and pulled the sheets closer to herself instead with a yawn.

"No, I'm tired." She said and when Mike gave her a lopsided smug smile she added, "No! You didn't wear me off! Don't flatter yourself! It's Sunday. I love sleeping in on Sundays."

"Sleep in as much as you want, babe." Mike kissed the back of her bare shoulder lovingly before getting out of the bed, wearing only his boxers.

He was almost finished making Kara brunch when she stepped out of her bedroom in a white bathrobe and wet hair.

"What smells so good?!" Kara asked with a gasp, her eyes widening in surprise, and she rushed to the kitchen where Mike was putting the beacons in a plate with scrambled eggs.

She stood gaping at him and Mike laughed at her speechless expression. "Happy Sunday!" He announced as he put the full plate before her on the kitchen island with a mug of coffee.

"You can cook?" Kara asked in awe as if he had made a spaceship with his bare hands.

"Yeah. When you have to live on your own, you'll learn it." Mike shrugged and sipped at his own black coffee, sitting right across from her on a stool.

"Not me! I've been living alone since college and I never learned! Everything I touch burns!"

Mike snickered at her in mischief. "So you're trying to tell me that you're too hot to cook?"

She snorted into her coffee. "Shush!" She chastised, but the toothy grin on her face made it ineffective.

The rest of the brunch was spent in a comfortable silence until Winn called Mike to inform them that their hotel couldn't extend their stay, ending on the next day. They had to find a place to rent sooner. Going from a hotel to another hotel wasn't economically clever. They had talked about it, but Winn wasn't sure if he wanted to stay in National City longer. He had been going out with Eve Tessmacher for a few weeks and Mike and Kara had even gone on a few double dates with them. Despite being very excited and happy, however, Winn wasn't completely sure if their relationship became more serious. None of his previous relationships had lead anywhere meaningful. He had told Mike that there were more job opportunities for him in Metropolis, but if things worked with Eve, he could still try and find a job there in National City to be with her since her job at the University required her to be here.

As Mike was scrolling through his phone to find a new hotel or any other option for the next week, Kara who had been listening to their phone call the whole time, came to sit next to him on the couch.

"Why don't you stay with me?" Kara suggested and Mike whipped his head towards her.

"What?"

"I mean, I know it's really soon for that step and all, but hotels are too expensive!" Kara argued.

"Don't worry, I have good savings. If you must know, they paid well for being a dinosaur trainer." Mike winked and Kara rolled her eyes at him with a smirk.

"Yes, I can imagine. But Mike, look, I know you're between jobs and I know you said you're done with the Park, but I can't help thinking that the reason you quit your job was because of me and I never want to be that person you had to choose over the job you love so much."

Mike shifted on the couch to face Kara properly and read the nervousness on her face. "No, that's- that's not true, Kara." He put away his phone and reached for her hand to hold in his, before continuing. "No, I couldn't stand that place anymore after what happened and those animals, they don't need anyone shepherding them around or train them. They deserve to live in peace and freedom. Well as much freedom they can have without hurting others."

He added the last part after imagining the kind of panic Rexy could create walking into a busy city like National City if let free. What he left out about his decision though, was the fact that he also despised the idea of working for his mother. She didn't know anything about the serum, the troubles he had gone through to get hold of it and the deal he had made with his mother. Only Winn, Eve and Barry knew. Alex had tried to make him talk, but he was reluctant and convinced Alex that it wasn't important. He had asked Alex and Eliza not to bother Kara with the details either. There was no use for her to know about any of this. She had been through enough. He didn't want to burden her with his problems so early into their relationship.

"So it wasn't an impulsive decision if that's what you're afraid." Mike assured her. "I want to do something else. I'm not sure yet, but I will find it soon. Hopefully."

Kara nodded and gave his hand a squeeze. "I understand. So let me help you. I'm not saying you should move in with me, but until you can find a job and a place, you can stay at my loft!" She said excitedly and gestured at the tightly furnished flat. "I know I have too much stuff, but I can make room for you."

Mike wanted to decline, yet the plea in her bright puppy eyes and the welcoming sensation her cozy loft gave him, crumbled his resolution. "Okay, fine. I'll stay here."

"YES!" Kara punched the air and pulled him in to kiss him senseless which he instantly accepted.

"Okay, so I guess I should go get my stuff?"

"Yes! And I should get back to writing this article." Kara stretched herself and looked over to the dining table where her laptop was sat since last night, ready for her to start with her piece. "Did I tell you CatCo is running a special issue and they want me to write the Exposé?"

"That's awesome!" Mike beamed at her proudly.

Mike wasn't very familiar with how things worked in her world, but if the sparkle in her eyes was any indication, this was a breakthrough for her job and he was happy for her.

The next two weeks went by very fast with some changes. Mike moved in with Kara and their cohabitation had come so naturally that one would say they had been living together for years.

Although Mike was worried a little over how would Winn manage alone, their newfound friendship with Barry Allen pulled through and the two agreed to rent an apartment together and everything finally seemed to have settled.

Mike eventually found a temporary job as a bartender - his old job from the time in college. He didn't mind reprising the title for a while till he could figure out where his life was going. He had lingered over a museum tour leader position, but the job was too boring. Working at a bar felt more challenging even though the payment wasn't any better. He didn't want to walk around halls filled with fake bones and decorated bodies with dead eyes. Museums felt haunted.

Kara meanwhile had been working nonstop on the special issue and one day she informed Mike of the gala CatCo was holding on the night of publishing and he was invited as an honorary guest. Mike hadn't been big on parties since the past few years, trying to keep a low profile, yet this time he accepted the invite. Especially if it meant he could get a chance to dance with Kara.

The day of the gala came sooner than they had expected. Mike picked up the tuxedo he had rented for the night from the shop Kara had recommended and arrived at the loft just in time to see her wearing her bathrobe and looking indecisive over five dresses spread on the bed.

"Please Mike can you help me choose one?" Kara asked as soon as she noticed him.

"Sure, but I don't know much about fashion. Doesn't Alex usually help you out with these?"

"That's fine. I trust your taste." Kara smiled at Mike and he returned it instantly. "And yes, Alex helps but she's on a date night with Maggie and unavailable."

Mike sat on the couch as she presented each outfit. The third time Kara came out of the bedroom his heart fluttered like a teenager. She had set a simple white shirt, sleeves rolled up to the elbow with an ankle long black floral skirt, fixed with a wide belt on her waist.

"Wow…" Was all he could utter.

Kara regarded his reaction and chuckled. "I'm guessing that means this one's okay?"

Mike nodded repeatedly, still speechless. He felt like a sixteen year old on prom night. A feeling he only associated with movies. Kara showed him the other two outfits, but it was clear the third one was still his top choice. Kara thanked him and went to change back into the one that had sent his heart racing manically.

While she was busy doing that, Mike went to put on his suit with a black button-up, completed with a black tie that had a single red stripe. He was fixing a Windsor knot in front of the mirror hanged over the basin in the bathroom when Kara stepped in to fetch her lipstick.

The reflection of their eyes met each other in the mirror and smiles appeared on instinct. Kara lingered in the doorway, eyeing him up and down with a dazzled look on her face.

"Y- you clean up nicely." She exclaimed in an awed tone.

"So I've been told." Mike finished the knot and turned to face her with another dashing smile. "And I could say the same about you."

Unannounced, she reached to adjust his tie even though it was just set, as if she wanted an excuse to touch him. She needlessly brushed his shoulder from the imaginary dust speckles while Mike kept staring at her caring gestures. It was doing things to his poor heart.

The destination of her hands was on his newly trimmed beard. They gazed into one another's eyes and a gentle kiss followed without asking.

When they parted, Kara looked as flushed as he felt. Kara ran her hand through her hair and bit her lip. "Gosh, we're gonna be late and I haven't even done my hair!"

Mike rubbed her shoulders to calm her down. "Leave it like this." He stroked her long honey colored curls that were cascading over shoulders like Ambrosia. She looked like a Greek goddess.

"Are you sure?" Kara asked nervously with a crinkle.

"Kara, you look stunning."

"O- okay, thank you!" She blushed furiously and scurried away to get her purse.

In the matter of a minute, the two were ready to leave. They held hands as they stepped outside the building and into the Uber that had been called. Soft smiles were fixed on their faces, charmed by how the other was glowing in those fancy clothes. The gala was going to be amazing.


	23. Chapter 23: A Time For For Us

**Chapter 23: A Time For Us**

The couple arrived at the gala right on time. There was a short red carpet with all the cameras pointing at them. When they noticed Mike - the hero behind Kara's very crafty and elaborated story - the flashes became blinding. He sensed Kara's uneasiness on his left side, fidgeting with her purse and slid his fingers between hers, tucking her thumb under his. She relaxed to his touch.

They walked inside the ballroom decorated in green to resemble the Jurassic Park, their hands interlocked. There were large posters hanging all around with Mike's face on them. He smirked at his own smolder on the cover of the Exposé. He had been called in for a photoshoot in his usual ranger clothes a week before and now he was seeing the result. He still couldn't wrap his mind around how they had added Rufio standing next to him and Rexy in the back with the background of the tropic jungle, so believingly as though he had really took the picture on Isla Nublar. One thing was for sure though. In no version of any reality, he would be standing and smiling like an idiot when Rexy was that close behind.

The couple stood in a corner, enjoying a glass of champagne and watched other guests. Mike's eyes drifted to the yet empty dance floor, wondering when it would be finally appropriate to ask Kara to dance.

"Oh my God! That's Miss Grant!" Kara put her flute on the closest stand, suddenly looking very anxious.

"Who?" Mike put his empty flute next hers and followed her line of sight to find out who she was staring and gulping at.

"Hello? Cat Grant? The queen of all media, founder of CatCo?"

"Ah, your boss." He deduced.

Kara nodded nervously. "We should go say hi. I'm sure she wants to meet you."

"Okay…" He suddenly felt overwhelmed. It had been years since he had received so much attention and never this kind. His family was famous for the extravagant parties they through and the word was the Gands knew how to party, but this occasion was far different from any gathering he had been too.

They approached the older blond woman in a ravishing wine-colored dress. There wasn't per se anything striking about her garment or makeup, however, the way she held herself as though owning the space she was in, felt imposing. Queen of all media Kara had said. A very well-fitting name he would say. She radiated the mannerism of a monarchy. Not very unlike his own mother, but it had a very different air to it. She had earned this position while Rhea was born into it. Despite not having heard a word from her mouth, Mike was certain even in a speech she would outwit anyone who dared to argue her view.

Kara's hand tightened around his and she guided him to stand in front of Cat Grant.

"Miss Grant-" Kara started with a stammering voice.

"Kiera! I see you finally gathered the courage to show up." Cat Grant bounced at her. The fire behind her emerald eyes didn't radiate hostility like he had prepared himself for, and it for sure was nothing like her mother's cold eyes, but rather amused and intrigued. It was a relief. He already liked her even if intimidated.

She had pronounced Kara's name wrongly and Mike raised his brows when Kara didn't try to correct her. "Yes, sorry. I just saw you." Kara fumbled with her glasses, but she remembered late that she was wearing contacts that night and ended up tapping herself on the temple awkwardly. She cleared her throat to compose herself before introducing Mike. "Miss Grant, this is –"

"Mike Matthews, I know." Cat Grant beat Kara to it and shook the hand Mike had offered, unexpectedly firmly.

"It's a pleasure meeting you, Miss Grant."

"Likewise Mr. Matthews. You can call me Cat. The pictures don't do you justice, I must say." She replied with a surprisingly charming smile which he found very confusing.

Mike glanced at Kara who was gaping at them with a shocked face.

"Oh, well. Those aren't exactly reality based if you know what I mean…" Mike said with a nervous laugh, trying to brush off the compliment, but not really understanding what he was saying. Cat Grant had flustered him and he didn't get flustered easily. If he didn't know any better, he would say she was flirting with him.

"I do know, but I see Kiera here is also much more invested in that reality rather than the superficial values, judging from how much she unashamedly has praised your valor. I have been eagerly looking forward to meeting the Alpha!" Cat pinned Kara with knowing stare and she looked like a deer caught in headlights. Cat was recounting the nickname Kara had given Mike in her story. The Alpha of the Raptors. He had groaned loudly at her when he had read it that morning. Her writing was beautifully amazing and nothing but the truth, yet Kara had made him look like a Superhero and Cat was seeing right through her.

Mike stood speechless, not at all sure what he should say next, but then Cat turned to Kara. "Kiera, go fetch me one of the copies. We should give Mr. Matthews –"

"But I already gave him –"

"- With my signature!"

Kara's eyes darted between Mike who was looking blank at her and Cat Grant with her hands on her hips and scurried away to get a copy of the special issue wordlessly, even though he already had received his from Kara personally. Obviously, no one could defy Cat Grant.

Now that Kara wasn't around, Mike felt a more serious conversation was about to happen. He even suspected that the signed copy was just an excuse to send Kara out of earshot range. He was only going to be proved right when Cat spoke first.

"I see this whole story has made a couple out of you." She remarked.

"Yes, well… It sort of happened unexpectedly… and we learned that we care too much about each other." Mike rambled.

"They say only in extremes, one shows their true selves."

"We do indeed." Mike immediately was reminded of how Lena Luthor had killed her own mother and then how each of them, from Alex sacrificing herself for her sister to Kara going after Rexy to save them, had risen to the occasion. And not just humans, even Raptors had shown their true essence.

Cat handed Mike a flute of champagne from the hostess that came to offer them drinks and he accepted it.

"But they also say that when you come out of the storm, you won't be the same person who walked in." Cat recited from his favorite author, clinking her flute to Mike's before taking a sip.

"Haruki Murakami." Mike noted and Cat smiled at his insight.

"Oh, so you do have time to read besides teaching dinosaurs how to jump through loops."

"I wouldn't say I ever tried to teach them that, Miss Grant. They aren't exactly circus lions." He shook his head and sipped at his drink. The look on the fierce blonde's face told him she had been teasing him which made him chuckle.

"Yes, but I did mean what I said about storms. I hope you two know what you're doing because if Kara hasn't told you yet, she worked as my assistant for three years before I finally let her go." her tone of speech took a turn for a more serious one. Mike shifted his weight to stand straighter as she continued, "She has the potential of becoming one of the greatest reporters of the modern age, but she is also naïve and tends to get herself hurt by trusting people she should be more careful with." Cat walked into his personal space and Mike stopped breathing. "But my resources are more extended than hers and I know you aren't exactly who you have people call you, Mike Matthews, or should I say, Michael Gand?"

If Mike's face could go any paler, he was sure he would be as white as the walls of the ballroom. "I-" He started, but Cat Grant didn't allow him to start. She stepped backward, giving him back his space before adding, "Don't get me wrong, I have no intentions of stirring things up for you. I may have a flair for the dramatic when it comes to exposing charlatans, but I am also good at judging characters. I know why you have distanced yourself from your family and changed your name so to be free from the burden. I see you are nothing like your mother whom I had the fortune to speak with on some occasion." She pronounced the word fortune laced with heavy sarcasm. "I admire your efforts and I have nothing against you. However, I should warn you keeping this secret from Kara can be very costly. I know her enough to tell you that she values honesty above everything else. So be careful."

Mike just stood there gawking, unable to form words to say something in return. He didn't have the chance to either because Kara chose that moment to show up, panting and holding the magazine she had been sent to bring as an excuse.

"Here you go, Miss Grant." Kara said breathlessly as she handed the issue to her boss and Cat snatched the copy to sign it with the marker Kara was perceptive enough to have provided, holding in her other hand.

Cat gave Mike the signed magazine and he took it quietly, still looking baffled. She then offered him and Kara a genuine smile.

"Enjoy your evening." She said and left to talk with a newly arrived guest before either of them could say anything.

Kara came to stand before him with a questioning look. "Hey, are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." She stepped closer and touched his arms softly. "Miss Grant said something when I was gone, didn't she?"

Mike shook his head and leaned into her touch. "Yeah, no. It's nothing." He assured Kara and put away the barely touched Champagne.

"She has that effect on people." Kara told him in sympathy and didn't press him for more information, which Mike was very grateful for. There was no way he could explain what Cat had said to him.

They stood where they were for a quiet moment in which Mike was trying hard to come around with all the truths Cat Grant had thrown into his face and how he needed to come clean with Kara. He wasn't ready. What if she hated him for being a Gand? What if she broke up with him for that? He was way too insecure about everything. They had only begun to reach a semi balance in their relationship and he was too afraid of changing it lest it broke apart. He cared too much for her to risk it.

Moments later, a group of people approached them, all wanting to greet Mike and shake his hand. All very curious to see the man behind Kara's words, up close. It was tiring, but he smiled at them politely and answered their numerous questions patiently.

After the party left, Kara spotted the open buffet and dragged Mike with herself excitedly to the table where she attacked a plate full of Potstickers. Mike bit his bottom lip to prevent the inevitable laughter at seeing her cheeks swollen from the large amount of food, like a squirrel trying to fit as many nuts its mouth. She was too adorable.

When Kara was too busy testing how many more Potstickers she could hold in both hands, Mike's eyes drifted to the dance floor where it was now occupied by a few couples, circling the floor slowly with the light music.

"Ehm, Kara?" He called her without taking his eyes off the scenery.

"Hmph?"

Mike turned to look at her chewing down her mouthful of food. He gasped. There was no sign of any more potstickers in the plate or her hands. It was all wiped clean by Kara single handedly. "Babe, slow down! You're gonna make yourself sick!" Mike chuckled and reached for some tissues next to the salad bowl.

"Sorry! I was so hungry!" Kara apologized while wiping her mouth and fingers with the tissues Mike had given her.

"I swear even the Raptors don't eat as much as you do." Mike shook his head and ducked his head from Kara's glare.

"Hey! Rude!"

"Well, it's true! I don't even know how you are still so in shape!"

"That's because I'm an alien!" Kara said so matter-of-factly as if he should have known it and they both cracked at their stupid conversation.

Mike cleared his throat and glanced one more time at the dance floor before returning to Kara. "Would you care for a dance?" He said, offering his hand.

Kara's sparkled gleefully. "Of course!" She instantly replied and slid her hand in his.

They stood into positions for waltz, with Kara's right hand in Mike's left and his right touching the small of her back. Kara put her left hand on his shoulder and the duo started moving to the rhythm of the music.

"Did you really have to call me an Alpha in the article?" Mike blurted out after a few minutes into the dance.

Kara giggled against his shoulder. "It's not like what you think! I mean you were clearly the alpha of the Raptors and I only used the word once in that context! The whole article is called Valor, not Alpha, but Miss Grant was being a tease like usual."

"Honestly, I was terrified you'd call me Daddy Dinosaur."

"No, Mike! I'm not that stupid!" Kara pressed her lips to contain the laugh and the effort had turned her red.

Mike smiled at his extra girlfriend. "I really liked that part about Neverland though, it was beautiful."

Kara beamed at him sweetly and sighed in relief. "Thank you. I'm so glad you liked it."

The rest of the dance was spent in a content silent. Swaying, twirling and spinning, they lost the track of time. Mike was solely focused on how close and in harmony their bodies moved together. How in sync and connected they felt with no other thought crossing their minds. All his focus was on her deep comet blue eyes and how they were gazing back at his with a gentle smile. He lost himself in them. Consumed by her. The band changed the music into a slow dance and he felt Kara moving even closer to wrap her arms around his neck and rested her face on his shoulder. He instantly complied and dropped his hands to her waist and held her flush to himself. His eyes slid closed instinctively when his chin touched her temple. He couldn't resist the urge and put a little kiss on her hair there.

Mike wished he could freeze the time so they could remain that way forever. He knew he had to tell her the truth about himself soon even if it was terrifying. Cat Grant's words had shaken him to his core. He couldn't lose her because of a secret.

When the music finally stopped, Mike looked around them for the first time and saw the room buzzing with guest, all talking and drinking. No one seemed to be paying him or Kara any mind anymore. The party had just warmed up and it wasn't even nine.

"Hey, you wanna get out of here?" Kara's question made him tilt his head downwards to look at her, still in his arms. It was as if she had read his mind.

He nodded solemnly, his eyes, however, diverted to the others still present. "But isn't that impolite? I had the impression that this is my party?"

Kara shuffled to untangle herself from him. There was a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "As Miss Grant says, there is nothing more powerful than leaving your party soon. Come on." She looped her arm around his and walked them off the dance floor and towards the exit.

When they were standing outside for a taxi to arrive, Mike noticed Kara shivering slightly next to him with her hands crossed tightly over her chest and her posture stiff. He shrugged off his coat wordlessly and gently slid it over her shoulders.

"Oh, thank you." Kara said, slightly taken aback by his thoughtfulness.

Mike hummed in reply and pulled her close to wind his arm around her, tucking her into his side and offering her his own body warmth. Kara gladly leaned into him and her quivers died away very soon. Mike didn't say it out loud, but it was a bit strange that she was feeling this cold when it was a relatively hot August night. He imagined the ballroom had been much warmer than outside for her.

The black taxi pulled in front of them moments later and Mike let Kara slid in first before joining her in the back seat.

"So, where are we going?" Mike asked Kara as the driver was waiting on them to announce the destination.

"I was thinking the bar you work at. I like it there."

Mike smirked at her. "Really? You look really tired." He nodded at the bags under her eyes and the fact she just stifled a yawn at that very moment as though proving his point. She had been working too hard for the past week in preparation for this issue.

"Not that tired. Come oooon. Let's go for a drink." Kara insisted with a poke to his ribs and Mike easily caved in. He too wanted to have fun with her away from prestigious settings and curious stares.

They spent the rest of the night huddled in a love seat at the bar, with Mike constantly fighting to take the peanut bowls away from Kara with how fast she was inhaling them. They kissed so many times he lost count for and laughed a lot, but he couldn't understand at what for the life of him. They tried to throw darts, but had to stop when Kara pinned someone on the arm by accident. She wasn't good at aiming in general, let alone inebriated.

Kara was a really happy drunk unlike Mike himself who had to drink a lot to just start to feel that sensation of fuzziness, but with Kara, after merely two shots of the bar's special called Aldebaran Rum, he felt all the complications and concerns flew out of the window. He suspected Kara's contagious guffaws at his very brainless antique jokes had something to do with that. The summer night was blurred by a glow of pure warmth under ecstasy.

It was close to midnight when the tipsy couple tumbled into Kara's loft, lips devouring each other. Mike nibbled at Kara's pulse point, feeling her hands pulling at his hair in return with an enticing groan. Her heavy panting matched his own intoxicated ones. He needed more. He wanted more of her.

His coat fell on the carpet, joining her purse as they moved to the bedroom. Kara turned them midway so his legs hit the bed first and pushed him into their messy kiss until he was laid on his back on the bed and she was straddling him. Without breaking contact, Kara's finger fumbled blindly with his already loose tie and freed him of it, then moving down to undo his buttons clumsily. Mike ran his hands down to the hem of her shirt and slipped his hands underneath, caressing her skin upwards. She quivered under his touch and moaned into his lips. The act set his body aflame and his heart throbbed in anticipation. His trousers felt uncomfortably constricting.

Threading between the fog of pleasure enveloping his mind, a voice nudged randomly how cold her skin felt under his fingertips, very unlike the times before, yet he let it pass and gave into the feelings Kara's hand and lips was awakening inside him instead. His hand reached her bra and thoughtlessly unclasped it.

Kara broke the kiss then – in need of oxygen no doubt – and sighed lustfully into his neck. Her moves then faltered and her hands slowed very contrary to how persistently enthusiastic she had been undressing him just a moment before.

"Hey, Kara? You okay?" Mike asked, sobering up instantly and removed his hands from her shirt.

"Hurts…" She mumbled and her hands crunched the collar of his black shirt against the pain.

Mike shifted to change into a sitting position, maneuvering Kara on his lap and cupped her cheeks to look into her face and find out what was vexing her. "What hurts, baby?"

"My head…" Kara groaned and let her head fall onto his shoulder blade.

Mike put his hand on the back of her head and tried to soothe her pain. He guessed drinking too much and fatigue had taken their toll on her.

"Come on, let's get you to sleep." Mike claimed and true to his words, helped her to bed, taking off her boots and pushing away the bedspread.

"I'm so sorry, I don't know where this came from." Kara complained as she was rubbing her temples with an irritated huff.

"It's okay. You don't have to apologize for that." He kissed her forehead and went to get her sleeping pajamas from the drawers after turning on a little lamp to allow some light into the dark room. "I'll find you some aspirin."

When Mike returned to the bedroom with a full glass of water and a pill, he found Kara changed and sat on her side of the bed with her head dropped into her hands and her long strands falling around like a curtain, concealing her undoubtedly pained weary expression from his.

"Here." He offered her. "Try to drink all the water."

"Thank you, Mike." She gave him a weak but grateful smile and he returned it humbly.

"No problem."

As she was doing what was told, Mike scrambled around to change into his own sleeping t-shirt. He joined Kara on the bed and watched her cautiously taking out her contacts and putting them in their case. Searching her face to see how she was doing, Mike felt relieved to find her calmer. He turned off the lamp and tugged her with himself until they were both laid back on the mattress and heads resting on their own pillows. He carefully covered Kara's still cold body with the blanket. She snuggled into him with a soft exhale and fell asleep very soon.

Mike, on the other hand, couldn't give in to sleep as easily. He wasn't sure why a simple headache had worried him this much. Listening to Kara's soft breathing rhythm, he willed his mind to become convinced that all was alright and shut down to allow him some rest and it eventually started to give in.

As soon as asleep engulfed Mike and warmed his eyes, he sensed trashing against himself. Eyes opening wide in shock, he looked at Kara seizing and shaking violently next to him.

"Kara!" He shouted in panic and jumped up to hold her shoulders down.

Her eyes were rolled back in her skull and her skin was even colder than before. He knew she couldn't hear her anymore in this state. Mike reached frantically for the lamp on the nightstand and knocked over the clock and the water glass in his hurry. As soon as some light was shed onto the bed, he looked back at Kara and saw the blood dripping from her nose, streaming across her cheeks and onto her pillow. Mike hastily used the first aid he had learned from his time serving in the military and rolled her onto her side, firmly pushed the angle of her jaw forward to assist with breathing and made sure she wasn't biting her tongue while her seizure had taken over. Mike knew well he shouldn't restrain the convulsing in these situations and only held her body lightly to protect her from falling off the bed. He was losing his mind in a frenzy of fear, yet he had no doubts that this was related to the poison. The seizing subsided after a minute into random spasms, and only then Mike was willing to leave her to search for some tissues for the bleeding and his phone with terribly shaking hands.

"9-1-1, what is your emergency?"

The ride to the emergency room on the back of the ambulance, calling Alex and making sure Kara was still breathing, they all went by in a blur. He later had no recollection of them. Sitting once more in the waiting room for someone to come and tell him what was happening with Kara, Mike stared blankly at his still blood-stained fingers and thought how much he hated himself for letting this happen. He shouldn't have treated the headache so casually, shouldn't have trusted his mother or the Luthors. Something must have been wrong with the serum and this was his fault.

"Mike!" Alex rushed towards him, Maggie on her tail, both women wearing the same anxious expressions. "What happened?"

"I- I don't know… she said she had a headache and we went to sleep… next thing I know she was seizing…" His voice trailed off.

Alex ran her hand stressfully into her short disheveled auburn hair and her sleep deprived eyes drifted to a random spot in the waiting room. She didn't need her crutches anymore either. Had been given a clean bill a few weeks before. Maggie tried to comfort her by touching her shoulder with little to no effect. "I called my mom. She's on her way." Alex spoke.

It was by pure luck that Eliza Danvers had been staying in National City for this month since she had workshops to present on the newest biochemistry research fields in the University. Had she been back to Midvale, it would have taken her hours to get to them.

Eliza ran into the hospital less than fifteen minutes later, merely nodding at their direction before disappearing into the ICU to see Kara. As they waited in that annoying silence, Mike's hand fidgeted with his phone in his jeans pocket, contemplating if he should call Rhea then and demand her an explanation as to why his Kara was once again on a hospital bed. Mike decided to wait for Eliza to say what was wrong before taking any actions.

Eliza came back to them with papers in her hands, her head shaking in disbelief. "Her parameters are all of the charts! I can't believe this! The treatment has worn off! She needs a new set of injections!" She explained with a puzzled face.

"Th- then you can make more now, can't you?" Alex asked, flickers of hope laced through her voice.

"I can, but there is no more serum left." Eliza looked at Mike.

He felt the world was spinning around him and staggered back in surprise. This had been a part of her well-crafted plan all along to bring him back to her door. Anger boiled in his veins like hot rods, his ears buzzing with the roar of it so loudly that he didn't hear Alex's furious voice calling him out.

"Where the hell did you get the serum from?" Alex strode to him and bunched the front of his shirt in both hands, not caring he was taller and larger than herself.

"Alex, stop!" Maggie tried to intervene.

"NO! He has to talk! I let him go easy last time he magically showed up with that serum! Answer me you son of a bitch! Where did you get it? What did you do to Kara?!" Alex shook him and he looked down at her in bewilderment.

"My mother." Was all he said and Alex let go of him confused. She hadn't expected that answer.

"Your mother?!" Maggie questioned.

"Please, you have to believe me. You know me, Alex! I swear to God, I never meant her harm!" Mike's voice trembled as he pleaded with the older sister.

He told them about his true identity and the deal with the devil and they listened with shocked faces. He asked them to keep it a secret.

It was time to call Rhea.

Mike put his phone to his ear and waited as it dialed with dragging beeps. Even though it was almost two in the morning, she picked up after just two rings.

"I take it you're finally ready to talk about our deal now." Rhea Gand gloated unceremoniously, her voice clear and awake as if it were in the middle of the day.


	24. Chapter 24: Sweet Dreams

**Chapter 24: Sweet Dreams Are Made of Stones**

Mike stormed into L-Corp building with no care for the guard who shouted something after him. He was already in the elevator and on his way to the same room where the last unscheduled meeting had taken place. This time though, Mike knew what he was stepping into. At least he hoped he knew. He caught his own reflection in the mirror. Hands clenched impossibly tight into two iron fists and face contorted in wrath, eyes dark and sharp, resembling a rabid dinosaur. A Raptor. Ace.

"GIVE ME THE SERUM!" Mike burst out without bothering with greetings the moment he stepped into the office doors. They were long past pleasantries.

Rhea Gand was seated behind Lena Luthor's desk in a dark pantsuit just as last time with a dignified expression plastered on her face. A revolting look which Mike had come to associate with ominous occurrences. Her look of victory that brought misery to her opponent. He never had the misfortune to be that opponent until this day. He had run away from it like the plague and now he was tasting the sourness of the dreadfully, yet he was not going to let her enjoy this. He would burn it down with the flames of his furry. He was no longer a child she could bend to her will, nor was he a coward.

"I SAID, GIVE IT TO ME NOW!" He spat at his mother again and punched the glass table. A threatening rattle echoed into the room, although the thick glass endured. Her silence and stillness were enraging. There were no bottles in display contrary to the time before. His heart clenched in horror at the idea that there might not be any serums at all.

"Are you finished with your show?" Rhea mocked with arms crossed over her chest and her face changed into a bored one. Her default expression with him.

Mike stood with his hands still balled on the table and heaved, nostrils flaring and glaring daggers at the heartless woman in front of her.

She pushed a folder to his direction - a Déjà vu - but Mike refused to touch it.

"I want the real serum first! How could you lie to me, you -" He set his foot down.

"That was the real serum you stupid boy! Only according to the very clear description I have here," Rhea reached for a small paper in her pocket and read it for Mike, "The serum must be administrated to the patient in three consecutive courses of treatment each four weeks apart for complete and irreversible effect."

Mike snatched the piece of paper from her and read it for himself to confirm its validity. It was true. It was a prescription instruction on how to administrate the serum and Rhea had kept it from him. It was an effort not to crunch the paper in his anger.

"HOW DARE YOU GAMBLE WITH HER LIFE?!"

Rhea scowled at his loud voice and sent him an irritated glare. "You have forgotten the most basic things about your family business, Michael." She shook her head in disappointment. "Never pay the full price without receiving the service to secure the deal. Rule number one. I did what I had to do to make sure you will return."

"Are you fucking kidding me? Haven't you heard of a PHONE?" Mike smashed the phone sitting on the desk in his thunderous rage, sending it crashing into pieces on the spotless floor of the office.

Rhea didn't even blink at his outburst and continued with the cold and full of expectation stare.

They started a staring contest until Mike had had enough. "I told you, I would do it! Why did you do this? What do you want from me?"

"You're assuming I should have trusted your empty words. No, you are right Michael. You're not a son of mine and that is why I don't treat you like one! Your words mean nothing to me! Now you will read this folder and meet the team I've assigned for this mission two days from now."

Mike picked up the folder at last and opened it. Despite his presumption, this wasn't the same brief content he had seen. It was much more detailed and contained new information. The geographic coordinates '12°S 78°E' was now marked on an up-to-date satellite image as a location somewhere off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia.

There was nothing visible in the picture. Just a red dot in the blue of the Indian Ocean. On another page – with the paper having a shade of yellow from the ages it had seen – Mike found some neatly handwritten notes about the so-called cursed 'Skull Island'.

 _"A countless number of supernatural accidents has been occuring around this location. From ships and planes that never returned, to missing individuals and recounts of unbelievable stories from survived fishermen who had otherworldly encounters with creatures which seem to belong to nightmarish tales told by scouts to scare the younger ones at a bonfire at camps. The place is shrouded in mystery and any airborne attempts to photograph the island has been unsuccessful due to some strange electromagnetic interference that destroys the films and it is said by the pilots that the place is always hidden beneath a veil of fog._

 _In 1941, right in the peak heat of the Second World War, a bright comet was observed as it passed the Earth's orbit and days later, detached pieces of it fell into the Indian Ocean in shape of meteors showering from the sky and into the water, right around the location of Skull Island. Ever since then, the supernatural accidents had been going on in that vicinity._

 _The locals relate all these diabolical events to the alien stones that had been carried to Earth on the meteors. They call it Harun-El or the Rock of Yuda Kal. The devil himself. And it is foretold that any who shall come to possess this rock, will be bestowed power so immense that it grants the bearer the power to rule the entire world with no weapon ever having the smallest competence to withstand them. The elders warn that he who holds the Harun-El, will be omnipotent and can unleash hell on Earth and bring the end of days."_

And Rhea wanted that.

What struck him most at the end of scribbles was the name signed at the bottom,

 _Jeremiah Danvers, February 5th 2000_

There was no mistake. This was Alex's father. Kara had told him about everything that had happened at the Cadmus lab. How Lex Luthor had stolen their fathers' research and had a hand in the death of Kara's parents. She also mentioned Jeremiah's disappearance after being sent on a mission by the Luthors. This had to have been the mission they were talking about.

When Mike finished reading a short list of names he didn't recognize, people who apparently were going to be his new partners, he rose his head and noticed Rhea was holding a bottle identical to the previous one in her hand.

"Where is the third bottle? There should be another one." Mike instantly acquired.

"You will get it only when her second course is over." She clarified with no room for argument.

"How do I know you'll hold your end of the bargain?"

"I've already delivered more than you ever did."

Mike clenched his jaw. She wasn't wrong. "Where is this meeting with the team you mentioned? When do we leave?"

"I will give you a call. Stay in touch." Rhea gave him a sinister smile and offered him the bottle. Mike took it hastily, already wanting to bolt out of that place and take it to Kara. Exactly like the last time.

He nodded with lips pursed into a line, his jaw clenched, not any more words on his mind to return. He was bound to this deal. No escapes. Nevertheless, he would do this or anything else, as long as Kara was safe.

* * *

Kara opened her eyes and greeted the unfamiliar ceiling instead of her own bedroom which had a thin fracture line going all the way to her leaving room. Confusion and alarm turned her heartbeats erratic and fast. Looking to the sides and rapidly becoming aware of the surroundings, she recognized that it was a hospital room similar to the one she had been in for almost a week not that long ago.

"Hey, hey, Kara. It's okay. You're okay." Alex's voice broke through the disorientation as she approached the bed.

"What happened? Why am I here? Where's Mike?" Kara rambled on as she tried to get out of the bed. She couldn't understand for what reason she had been hospitalized again with a sore body and dry throat. She was fine. She had just taken aspirin and was cuddling with Mike in their bed after a failed make out session because of her terrible headache.

"No, don't get out of the bed, Kara!" Alex pushed back her shoulders and stopped her from ripping the IV line from her arm by accident.

"Alex, what's going on?" Kara asked again.

"The venom is not fully gone from your system yet, you need more injections."

"What? The last month blood test was perfect!"

"I know, but you had a seizure two night ago –"

"Two nights ago? Oh my God! Where is Mike?"

Alex looked away at the question and hesitation sparked in her eyes. Her expression made Kara's stomach clench with worry.

"Alex, where is he?"

"He… he had something he needed to do, but he'll be back soon."

"What does that mean?!" Kara pressed for an answer.

Alex let go of her shoulders and took both her hands in hers and squeezed. "Listen, Kara, Mike… he's the reason you're alive right now." The brunette's eyes glassed over with a sheen of tears. Kara was speechless and didn't know what exactly Alex was trying to say, therefore she waited for her to continue. "When we brought you back to National City, the antidote Eliza and Caitlin made was incomplete and you were dying." Alex shivered at her own words and Kara squeezed her hands back to encourage her to go on. "And suddenly Mike showed up with this serum. He didn't want to say where he'd got it from and it wasn't important anymore because you got better, but then you collapsed again and he was so in shock. I made him talk."

"What did you do to him, Alex?"

"Nothing, I just yelled at him and he broke. He's made a deal with his mother to get that serum and the bastard had kept it to herself that you would need longer treatment for the full recovery."

"His mother?" Kara frowned in confusion. Mike's family was a sensitive subject they never talked about and she had figured that Mike would tell her about his estranged family whenever he was ready, hence she never had pushed him for more information. "What deal? I don't understand."

"Kara, I can't tell you. Mike's asked me not to tell anything. He wants to tell it to you, himself."

As frustrated and curious she was for an answer, Kara decided to respect Mike's decision and wait until she saw him. "Okay, fine. But he's coming back, isn't he?" Kara had a foreboding feeling like he was about to suddenly disappear.

"He promised he'd be back tomorrow."

"I- I want to call him." Kara exclaimed and searched for her phone which wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"Kara, I'm sure he won't bail on you like that."

"I know, I just want to hear his voice."

Alex saw that there was no convincing Kara in that distressful state, thus she took out her phone and dialed Mike's number before handing the phone to her sister. Kara chewed at her fingernail absentmindedly as she listened to the nerve-wracking long beeps. She was about to give up after seven beeps when he finally picked up.

"Alex, is Kara okay?" Mike's anxious voice filled her ear. Hearing his voice alone washed away half of her worries.

"It's me, Mike. I'm okay." Kara replied softly and heard him let out a long relieved sigh.

"Thank God."

She didn't need to see him to know he was rubbing his forehead and his eyes were closed shut. She could imagine him vividly. She missed him terribly. "I- I needed to hear your voice. I miss you." Kara confessed in a small voice. One she hated.

"I miss you too, baby."

"Where are you? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, don't worry Kara… I'm with my mother, but it's complicated. I'll tell you everything when I'm back. I promise."

"When are you coming back?"

"Tomorrow night."

"Okay…" Kara sniffled in spite of how hard she had fought to keep herself together. She couldn't help it. She was terrified that she was going to lose Mike somehow.

"Kara, please don't cry. I swear nothing is wrong. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Kara nodded somberly and tried not to let the fears take over her mind. Mike was always the man of his words. "I know you will. Stay safe, baby."

"I will, sweetheart. You too. See you soon."

They ended the call and Kara gave Alex back her phone. She sank back into the bed wordlessly and was so deep in thought that didn't even protest Alex when she informed her that they were keeping her at the hospital for one more night.

Alex stayed with her as long as her job allowed and tried to get her mind off of Mike, ineffective, however. She received some calls from work. The special Jurassic Park issue had broken the 18 years old record with all the hard copies being sold out in less than a day. It was very plausible that Kara's article could soon be nominated for a Pulitzer.

Kara barely caught a blink of asleep that night. The next morning Kara was released from the hospital with a planned schedule of her regular weekly shots for the next month.

The wait until nightfall was one of the longest waits Kara had experienced. She kept pacing her loft, not listening to Alex's complains that she needed to rest more. She had decided to come over, knowing how stressful Kara was and hadn't wanted her to be alone.

It was close to 11 pm when Kara heard the sound of keys turning from the door. She rushed and pulled it open. There he was standing with a duffle bag in his left hand and keys in his right. The key to her apartment Kara had given him the day he had moved in. He looked beyond tired and his eyes void of the usual twinkle of life.

They stared at each other for a short second without saying a word until Kara threw her hands around his neck and hugged him closely. He hadn't even stepped inside the house yet.

"Kara… umph." Mike let go of the bag in his hold instantly to catch her weight. Kara felt Mike lifting her a bit in their embrace and walked them inside. She shifted her head to peck his cold lips. He responded right away and kissed her back. It felt safe and Kara melted in his arms.

"Mike!" Alex greeted and only then Kara remembered her sister was still there and let go of him reluctantly.

"Alex, hi. You're here. That's- that's good." Mike said with a nod and went to fetch his bag before closing the door.

Kara observed his moves carefully. He came to sit on the couch, almost dropping on it with an exhausted sigh. She followed him and tucked herself in his side, needing to feel him close. Mike took her hand with his and held it tight on his lap. The feeling was clearly mutual.

"Do you need anything? Food? Coffee?" Kara offered, feeling concerned how unlike himself he looked.

"No, I'm good. Don't go." Mike said with a shake of his head and held onto her hand tighter.

Alex came and sat on the sofa across from them with fidgeting fingers, impatient for Mike to start speaking. "So?"

Mike cleared his throat and turned to Kara with a hesitant look as she did the same. "Kara, you trust me, don't you?"

"Of course I do, Mike! Why –"

"You know me. I'm the same person I've always been with you, no matter how short it's been since we've known each other."

Kara nodded repeatedly, a bit shocked with how desperate Mike was asking for her trust. "Yes, I know you. What's wrong, Mike? You're really scaring me."

Mike dipped his head and with it, his eyes from her for a moment and stared at their joined hands. "I have been meaning to tell you, but since the night of the Gala things got out of hand," He raised his head and met her eyes again sorrowfully. "My real name is Michael Gand. I hated my family all my life and I changed my name as soon as I turned 18 before joining the army to be away from my parents. I never wanted to do anything with them."

Kara's eyes grew wide in comprehension. "Wait, Gand? The infamous multi-billionaires Gand?!"

Mike nodded with an ashamed expression and refused to look at her. "I- I'm Rhea and Larson Gand's son."

Kara's heart throbbed painfully at the absolute look of dejection on Mike's face. Was he afraid that she would break up with him after knowing his true identity?

"Mike? Look at me." Kara said and slipped her hands from his to push under his chin so he could see her when she told him. "You're the man you've shown me and nothing and no one can change that. Ever. You saved my life and many others. I'm never going to judge you for who your parents are. I don't care."

Watching the worrisome wrinkles etched on Mike's face starting to fade and his eyes regaining their usual shine with a heart filled smile as Kara's acceptance and understanding dawned on him, was the most pleasurable sight Kara had ever seen in her life. His delightful expression made her heart flutter with love and the tears prickled at the corner of her eyes, mimicking his own moist eyes. He pulled her into a hug and whispered into her ear. "I love you."

The three words spoken for the first time hit Kara harder than she had imagined they would.

"Ehm, guys?" Alex interrupted again.

"Right." Mike withdrew from the hug and turned to face her as Kara was still recovering from his words.

They listened as Mike started explaining about how Lena Luthor had given away the existence of the serum in hopes of buying her way out of prison before her sudden death and then Rhea's deal in exchange for Kara's life. He talked about the mission to a freaky island and the item they were supposed to retrieve. It was unbelievable and ridiculous.

"No, you can't do this!" Kara blurted out as soon as he was finished talking.

"I have to, Kara! It's the only way. She still has the third bottle and I don't want to risk anything."

"But this is a suicide mission! You don't even know what you're going into and no one has survived the last expedition!"

"I know, but there's something else." Mike paused and glanced at Alex before looking back at Kara. Both sisters were staring at him quizzically. "Jeremiah was with the last team that disappeared."

"WHAT?" Alex exclaimed in disbelief and suddenly jumped up.

"There were records of the last team and his name was on the list with his personal notes. They have announced them all dead, but they are actually MIA. There is no evidence showing they are really gone."

"What are you saying?" Kara asked.

"Jeremiah might still be alive."

Both Kara and Alex were rendered speechless and in absolute shock. The idea of finding Jeremiah after all these years was so farfetched that they needed a long moment to digest what Mike had dropped on them.

"Are- are you serious?" Alex broke the heavy silence.

Mike nodded. "It's a possibility, however, low. I know it's been years and we don't know what kind of dangers there are on this island, but I've heard people surviving in extreme situations and I'm willing to count on this."

"Then I'm coming too!" The FBI agent's eyes sparkled with determination.

"Alex, no!" Kara stood up with her hands waving in dismiss. "This isn't happening! You're not going and Mike shouldn't either."

"I don't have a choice, Kara. This way at least I'm not going there thinking I'm just looking for some dumb rock that's probably made up to scare people. And Alex, you can't come. I'm not even supposed to be telling you any of these. My mother would get suspicious if you show up and could break the deal."

Alex's lips trembled under the tension of her nerves, her eyes angry and fists clenched. "Fine!" She stormed into the kitchen, clearly upset. Kara felt bad for her. Alex was never the kind of person to sit out of a situation like this to help especially if her own family was involved. Accepting that she couldn't go on this journey was likely the hardest thing she had ever done.

A part of Kara was guiltily relieved that Alex wouldn't be going. It was bad enough that Mike was forced to go. Her abandonment issue was already making itself known once more by clouding all her senses and feeding her soul dark feelings. She couldn't lose him.

"When are you leaving?" Kara asked in a quiet voice, fearing the tremor in her voice could become noticeable if she spoke any louder.

"End of the year. They said we need to wait for the monsoon winds change direction to sail there."

Kara tried her best to feel better that they had about three months to be together before he had to leave, yet all she felt was pain. If only she had never gotten injured by Pestilence, none of these would have ever happened. It was her fault.

Alex left soon afterward with a fallen face. She needed some time to consider the possibility that his father might be still alive.

At last, the two were alone again. Mike was still sat on the couch with hands clasped together and his gaze fixed at a point on the carpet. Kara came to sit next to him and rested her head to his shoulder. Her throat was tight and tears were ready to fall. She couldn't lose him. She just couldn't. She loved him too much.

He turned at the sound of muffled whimpers and pulled her into his broad chest where she broke into sobs and he held her tight. Mike stroke her hair and shushed with soothing words. Kara wasn't sure for how long they remained that way, crying. He was there with her through it, playing strong like he always did.

They fell asleep in each other's arms, keeping the other as close as possible. All Kara wanted was to wake up and find that it had all been nothing but a nightmare.


	25. Chapter 25: Small World

**Chapter 25: Small World**

Kara and Mike decided to spend every last second they had to be together, doing anything they ever wanted. After the gloomy conversations on that night and spending some days in sorrow, Mike had proposed a way for them to have it a little easier and make the most of their time. Kara knew it was as hard for him as it was for her and she readily agreed to it.

With CatCo's huge success thanks to Kara's Valor story, convincing her bosses to give her permission and funding for a new story was considerably easy. Especially since their new star, Mike Matthews, was involved. They knew the readers would go bonkers over him. Kara was going to write her next article about the wonders of the ancient world, under the name "Around the World in 80 days". Kara and Mike were going to see the world together.

They packed their bags with their passports and in the matter of a week, they were on a plane headed to their first destination, Africa. Mike had some professional experience in photographing since he had worked part-time in the university publication during his time at college, and acted as the photographer while Kara took notes of all they saw. Mike had also taken over of Kara's injections and with Eliza's foresight, they had made a safe cold pack of her medicine capsules which Mike would give them to Kara weekly on the schedule while they were on travel.

Kara crossed the Sahara on a camel's back with Mike under the starry night sky and he used every chance to tell cheesy things or compare her eyes to the stars. She visited the Great Pyramids of Giza for the first time, rowed across the Nile River and danced by the fire with Mike and other villagers the one marvelous night they were staying in a village in Ethiopia.

Their next destination was Greece. They roamed Athens for a few days, capturing every bit of its numerous magnificent monuments they possibly could. Acropolis, the Parthenon and the Temple of Poseidon to name a few. They tried so many Greek foods along the trip. Kara, in particular, loved the taste of original Feta cheese. Having the best of time in the ancient land with its loud and live people, Kara and Mike gladly extended their stay to see a few of the gorgeous islands of Greece. Dilos the birthing place of Apollo, filled with ancient sites that took their breath away and last but not least, the island of Crete. Kara couldn't believe all the wonders and beauty this place had been preserving for eons, surrounded by the dazzling Aegean Sea. It was surreal. Long walks on the beach, sunbathing and Kara's favorite, restaurants open until late at night - with Mike by her side - this journey had turned into a honeymoon.

India was their next target. Taj Mahal, Mysore Palace, and Sanchi Stupa, the big diverse country had too much to offer. From the food, the exotic sights, and live vibrating culture. It was a shame they didn't have enough time to explore it as it deserved.

The exploring duo visited Peru next, took too many selfies with an adorable grumpy Llama - who Kara immediately had decided to name Kuzco after the Disney's spoiled Prince - and climbed all the way to Machu Picchu, the Inca Citadel, on thanksgiving.

They continued north to Mexico to see Chichen Itza, the forsaken Mayan city and returned to the states and back to National City just in time so Mike could retrieve the last Serum bottle from Rhea and rested a few days until Eliza could make the new set of shots.

They resumed their expedition with their next destination being China and Japan because Kara was always fascinated by the cultures. They spend two whole weeks absorbing everything they could from those lands.

Their last part of the journey was approaching fast and Kara was insistent to cover more of Europe, more specifically London and Rome, before their final stop in Paris on day 76 of their trip.

* * *

The narrow winding passage revealed itself to them as a perfect frame of impressionism work of art. Mellow, Blurry, filled with colors that had been woven together smoothly and waving as though in motion. Here in the heart of Paris, one could get a glimpse into the mind of an artist. It was a magical feeling.

The ancient grey cobblestone flooring, mirroring the cloudy sky overhead and glistening with the rain, was adorned by the orange end of autumn leaves. A single side was entirely occupied by cafes, each casting a soft calming glow, inducing vibes of warmth and serenity along with the nostalgic distant sound of 30s French music as the delicious smell of freshly brewed coffee invitingly caressed their lungs.

The painting of this confined old street was embellished with the numerous small tables each holding a flickering candle and a stand lone lavender. Many already taken by people, of all sorts, chattering and some smoking, sending hypnotizing swirling patterns into the crisp air of nearing evening. The complimentary background humming sound of the rain droplets rattling against the canopy protecting the cramped setting only added to the perfection that it already was.

Kara sighed in absolute contentment. There was nowhere else in this world she'd rather be. Here, hands intertwined with Mike and his red umbrella over their heads was her true place and if the soft genuine smile brightening his face was any evidence, he was feeling the same. Mike tilted his head towards her, sensing her wondrous stare on himself. The two shared a meaningful look, silently communicating through eyes, appreciating the sheer happiness written on each other's faces.

For the first time in her life after losing her parents, Kara felt at home. And she knew that fact had little to do where she was standing, but had all to do with whom was standing next to her. He was the light she'd been searching for and had abandoned hope in ever finding, yet here he was right by her side. Through the most unimaginable adventures, the universe had gifted her this man she loved with all her heart.

It was day 80 and tomorrow they were flying back home to National City. Mike was departing in less than two weeks. The couple were taking their final day easy and had strolled the city of lovers to their hearts' content and now they wanted to drink some first class coffee in a quiet and romantic setting. Their time together had been unforgettable and magical. During this time, they had bonded in ways Kara hadn't known possible beforehand. She felt slightly ready for the soon to come separation. They had had enough time talking and coming in terms with it and in her heart, Kara had the hope and the strong belief that Mike could return from this. He was the strongest and smartest man she knew. He could do this.

The two returned to their hotel suite after dinner with their soft smiles still constant on their faces. They were happy and profoundly in love. Kara took the shoes off of her tired feet, from all the long walks, and splayed down on the bed with a loud sigh, staring at the ceiling. She could go to sleep at any moment, but she didn't want this day to be over so soon. Or at all, if she had it her way.

Mike shuffled forward and came to kneel over her on the bed, holding the injection pen, identical to any regular insulin injection pen. That was her very last shot.

The antidote was prescribed to preferably be administrated on the abdomen and every single time, Mike did it for Kara, even though she was perfectly capable of doing it herself. He wanted to help her and she let him. Not even once had it slipped his mind and there was something so sweet about it. the way he cared so profoundly. She specifically loved how he put a kiss on her stomach every time right next to where he injected the shot. This time was no different either. Kara stayed laid down and pulled up her sweater to give him access. She felt the familiar instant coldness of the alcohol on the cotton ball sterilizing against her skin before he gingerly trapped a part of her skin between two fingers. The tinge of the small needle accompanied by the pen clicking quietly was all it took to be done. Just like every time before, Mike put a soft kiss next to the injection spot. Unlike before though, he lingered. His lips stroked the warm skin and went on to pepper her exposed skin with small pecks and continuing upwards, body cradled between her thighs and arms supporting on both her sides until he reached her lips. Kara's heart soared with love and craving. She instantly wound her arms around his neck to pull him closer and seeped on his lips, answering his sweet affection in fervent.

His fingers were tickling her bare sides and she giggled with a squirm when they got caught in her cashmere blue sweater. He was asking permission to take it off and Kara broke their kiss momentarily to help him do that.

Kara pushed up his red turtle neck sweater in return and he obliged by taking it off and tossing it away. She needed more skin and she wanted him. They reconnected their lips once more with more passion, fingers skimming and mapping every part of the other. Kara scratched Mike's beard, caressed his shoulder and down his muscular arms that were holding him up. She nipped at his neck, not satisfied entirely yet with their proximity. Her eyes were closed shut, giving in to the sensation of her aflamed skin, as though made of molten magma, flaring everywhere he brushed with intensifying yearning and exhilaration. She was immersed in him.

They made love until both were spent and in need of stillness. Just to soak in the post-coital euphoria and letting the shortcoming of their breaths even out. The quietness of the moment was needless to be filled. It was already oversaturated with love and devotion of their acts.

Kara shivered and Mike turned to look at her. "Is it the side effect?" He asked in a hushed tone as if he were being cautious not to disturb the moment.

She nodded. The shots always left her feeling a little cold. Mike leaned forward to put a kiss on her forehead and scrambled to retrieve the blanket that had been shoved away during their ecstasy.

"That's okay. It's all over now." Mike said as he draped it over her chilly and sweaty body. Kara felt her eyes drooping and attempted the widest smile she could afford before asleep could take away her consciousness. Mike laid down, facing her and mimicked the expression with still dilated eyes. Kara watched him with heavy eyelids and he stared back.

"I love you." Kara whispered. The words came out in one breath and she saw them hit Mike as though an avalanche. His stormy gray eyes started twinkling the brightest she had seen. Shining like, a fortress made of ice crystals under the full moon, a comet shooting across the sky. She even saw tears in his eyes dancing with speckles of light.

Admitting her love to him had been on her minds for months – ever since he had said it. Kara had been waiting for the perfect time, an ideal situation. Nevertheless, the more she waited, she had realized that it was only an excuse. A voice stemmed from her insecurities. What ifs that never had any conclusion. But that day Kara had made up her mind that if she didn't say it to him, she may lose her chance altogether. Kara had feared that telling him those words could make their separation even harder, however, she was more afraid of Mike leaving and never knowing exactly how much he meant to her.

"I- I love you." He said back in a shaky voice and Kara decided to taste his lips while the words were still ringing in the air.

The kiss was fulfilling more than any before.

* * *

 _"This is the final boarding call for passengers booked on flight 587A to New York. Please proceed to gate 5 immediately."_

The announcement echoed around the busy airport following a chime. Mike shifted her weight and held onto his carrier a little harder. It was finally the time for him to say goodbye if he didn't want to lose his flight. He was supposed to meet his mother's chosen men in New York and fly with them to Indonesia first and then Sumatra where their ship was being prepared for the expedition.

Kara, Alex and Winn had been there to see him off and now that the moment had arrived, he was having the hardest time despite all the psyching ups he had put himself through for the past three months. Looking over at Kara, he saw the same pale and shocked expression on her face.

"I- I should get going." Mike claimed and stepped forward to hug Winn first.

"Goodbye Mike, bring me cool souvenirs if you can, will you?" Winn cracked a final joke to smooth the roughness of moment and Mike couldn't help but smile at his attempt. Typical Winn. He was going to miss his best friend terribly, no doubt.

"I'll try my best. And hey, don't go get drunk alone without me, Winn, okay?" Mike said back him with a smirk.

He then hugged Alex briefly and she returned it by patting him firmly on the back. Her face was unreadable and stoic. "Goodbye, have a safe trip and if you ever saw my dad, tell him that we still love him." Alex said quietly.

"I will, Alex." Mike promised with a nod. He then looked at Kara standing quietly next to Alex with tearful eyes. "Ehm, can we have a moment, please?" Mike asked the other two who instantly walked away to give the couple privacy.

"I can't believe this is happening." Kara admitted in a broken voice and Mike nodded, feeling his own eyes burning with tears.

Mike embraced her tight and close, unable to say a word while there were too many things on his mind. He was so overwhelmed. Kara returned the hug, winding her shivering arms around him and burying her head into his neck, wetting it with her tears. Mike stroked her hair and put a long gentle kiss on her temple before releasing her to kiss her fully on the lips for one last time.

Kara cupped his face, caressing it. "You made me so happy." She whimpered.

"I love you." Mike uttered against the painful lump in his throat, trying his hardest not to break down.

"I love you." She said without missing a beat through the tears that were rolling down her cheeks freely now.

Mike brushed the tears with his thumb ineffectively. "Goodbye, sweetheart." His voice cracked.

"Goodbye baby. Stay safe, okay?" Kara cried and pressed her forehead to his.

He nodded and with lips pursed, detached himself from her hold because if he didn't leave then, he didn't think he ever could. Kara's hand didn't let go of his, however, and stretched as he distanced himself. Mike squeezed it. "Kara." He called when she wasn't releasing her hold and she answered by unclenching her fingers.

"Here…" Kara said, reaching hastily for something around her neck and slipped it into his hand. To Mike's absolute shock, it was her mother's necklace she always wore – the only possession she had from them. She closed his unmoving fingers around it, wrapping her both hands around his fist, pressed against her chest. "This will keep you safe." She said and then let go of him.

Mike paced away quickly with the necklace pressed to his heart, pulling the carry on with himself. But came to a halt suddenly, turning back to look at her standing there alone, hugging herself so vulnerable and so devastated. His heart shattered all over again to a million pieces. Leaving his luggage where it stood, he ran back to Kara and stole one last kiss, putting all his strength into the kiss until she melted into him.

"I will come back to you. I promise." Mike whispered against Kara's lips and saw her reddened sky blue eyes finally starting to soften. Only then he let her go and stepped away. He didn't dare to look back this time and looked ahead strictly. He really needed to hurry now to catch on his plane.

This was the hardest thing he had ever done. Changing his name, the military, years of working on foreign lands and facing Rexy, Reign and crashing into a fishing ship with a jeep, they were nothing compared to saying goodbye to the woman he loved with all his heart, without knowing when he was going to see her again and if he would.

* * *

The trip to Sumatra was one of the longest and most tiring he had ever been on, but every time he thought of Kara's face he had to believe that he could do this. Even just for the sake of seeing her smile again.

As their nameless ship with only ten people on board departed from the land, rocking on water and slipping away and into the open waters, Mike was standing at the bow of the ship with arms crossed, clad in black and staring at the clouded horizon with a deep frown. The mission was set to take about three months if all went well.

One of his hands slid to his chest where a slight bulge was hidden beneath his dark jacket. Kara's necklace. He hadn't stopped wearing it since the moment he had gotten on that plane. It gave him strength and hope. It was the only thing that calmed him when the storms were calling for him, raging on - quite literally now. Because Kara believed in him and he never wanted to disappoint her.

He was going to see Kara again, no matter what. They were meant to be together and nothing in this world could stop them.

 _Nothing._

 **THE END,**

 **AND TO BE CONTINUED…**


End file.
